Paging Dave Neiwert

For years, Mr. Neiwert has done his best to remind the reality-based community the real source of American terrorism--namely, the far right. Think Timothy McVeigh, the Klan, and assorted racists and fundies who make the news in local papers and news channels, but whom you'll never hear about on Faux News. Why? Because it's easier for Faux and company to pretend that there's big conspiracy among "the left" (i.e., about two-thirds of the country) to undermine America.

Well, a former congresscritter has just been indicted in a case related to a charity that funded terrorists. Guess his party affiliation.

A former Republican congressman from Michigan was indicted Wednesday on federal charges of money laundering and obstruction of justice. The allegations involve his work as a lobbyist for an Islamic charity accused of illegally funneling about $130,000 to an Afghan warlord considered a terrorist by the United States government.

The former congressman, Mark D. Siljander, who was defeated for re-election in 1986 after three terms in the House, was accused by a federal grand jury in Kansas City of accepting $50,000 in stolen government aid money as his lobbying fee from the now-defunct charity group, the Islamic American Relief Agency.

The charity — which was based in Columbia, Mo., and closed in 2004 — and several of its former leaders were already under indictment on charges of illegally transferring money to Iraq and stealing government money....

Mr. Siljander, 57, was best known in the House for his fierce opposition to abortion and gay rights. He tried to block a $581,000 Justice Department grant to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence in 1985 because he considered the group to be run by “pro-abortion, pro-lesbian, anti-Reagan radical feminists.” The Reagan administration awarded the grant anyway.

Actually, it's not surprising Siljander (or any other Christian rightie) would find common ground with assorted Islamofascist fundie freaks. Here's a further rundown of Siljander's antics, including his chumminess with Sudanese President Omar al Bashir. Sudan, of course, is a haven of religious tolerance. Just ask anyone in Darfur.

Forget racial profiling. How about a different kind of profiling? The FBI should place James Dobson, Pat Robertson, and their associates on a no-fly list. Throw in the staff and fellows at the major right-wing think tanks while you're at it. If you're a movement conservative, a religious nutcase, or a right-wing Kool-Aid drinker, you're automatically suspect.

Who else agrees?

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