On April 1st and 2nd, the United States Coalition of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) descended on Congress for its fifth annual National Muslim Advocacy Day. USCMO is a national umbrella group for a veritable “Who’s Who” of Islamist organizations such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim-American Society (MAS), American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), and the Muslim-Brotherhood think tank International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT).
USCMO crowed that this was their most successful Advocacy Day yet, unfortunately. Islamist lobbying groups met with dozens of legislators—not merely the usual suspects like Rashida Tlaib (who supports them in any event), but others such as Reps. Barragan and Chuof CA, Rep. Connolly and Sen. Warner of VA, and many others. While the specifics of their lobbying were largely anodyne, the main importance of the event was to build relationships with our elected officials that could be utilized later.
All in all, USCMO claims that over 500 delegates held over 250 meetings with elected officials or their staffers, “half of the Senate and a little over a third of the House of Representatives.” Here is a partial list of legislators who are believed to have actually met with USCMO delegates in person:
Sen. Ben Cardin (MD)
Rep. Judy Chu (CA)
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ)
Rep. Doug Collins (GA)
Rep. Gerry Connolly (VA)
Rep. Elijah Cummings (MD)
Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI)
Rep. Jody Hice (GA)
Sen. Johnny Isakson (GA)
Rep. Hank Johnson (GA)
Rep. Ro Khanna (CA)
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA)
Rep. Lucy McBath (GA)
Rep. Betty McCollum (MN)
Rep. Jerry McNerny (CA)
Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN)
Rep. Max Rose (NY)
Sen. Tina Smith (MN)
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI)
Rep. Rob Woodall (GA)
More ominously, the Advocacy Day was also used as cover for the lobbying efforts of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. Egyptian Americans for Freedom and Justice (EAFJ) is the American lobbying arm of the Brotherhood, which in past years sent actual terror supporters to lobby Congress. This year, EAFJ again participated in the Advocacy Day, meeting with several members of the House, including three from New York and Rep. Rashida Tlaib. EAFJ’s goal is to sever American support from the Sisi regime in Egypt, and work towards the return of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood to power. (One wonders why USCMO allowed such a group to piggyback on its event.)
While politicians are typically going to meet with any of their constituents, it is important that our members of Congress understand who they are dealing with. USCMO members are largely connected to the American network of the Brotherhood, as has been amply documented in court. The latest court case charges that American Muslims for Palestine (AMP, a USCMO founding member) is the direct successor organization to the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), which was sued into oblivion for being a propaganda front for Hamas. Whatever political party a Representative may be in, meeting with Hamas members is not a good look.
USCMO presents itself as the voice for American Muslims. In fact, it is the voice for American Islamism. The difference is crucial.
