As we discussed yesterday, Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari (aka Michael Mixon) currently faces federal charges of providing material support to terrorists. Alishtari is also a generous Republican donor contributing more than $15,000 in the ’02 and ’04 cycles to the National Republican Congressional Committee. He was also named to the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s “Inner Circle Leadership Committee,” which entitles him to a series of insider GOP perks.
The story started gaining some real traction over the last 24 hours, prompting Republican leaders to respond to the burgeoning controversy. Yes, the party acknowledged, they took money from an accused terrorist financier. No, the party said, they won’t return the money.
“We are extremely concerned and disturbed by these charges, but we need to be careful not to rush to judgment as the judicial process moves forward,” NRCC spokeswoman Jessica Boulanger said. “If the individual in question is found guilty of a crime, it is our intent to donate the money to charity.”
As Paul Kiel responded, “Just because you’re the subject of a federal indictment, in other words, doesn’t mean your money’s not good enough for the NRCC.”
Indeed, let’s flesh this out further. When former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) was accused of having sexual predator tendencies towards minors, the NRCC wanted his money. When former Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) was forced to resign because of the bribes he took, the NRCC kept his money, too. Now Alishtari is facing charges of helping supply materials for terrorist training camps. The NRCC has effectively responded, “Let us know how that trial turns out and we’ll think about it.”
First, this is a surprisingly refreshing (and convenient) attitude for a party that has never had much use for the presumption of innocence. Second, I hope the Republican establishment realizes that it will never be able to demand that Democrats return a donation from a controversial source without us bringing this up.
It’s also worth noting that this controversy has not escaped the attention of the NRCC’s counterparts.
Democrats were quick to seize on the issue. Jennifer Crider, communications director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, called on the Republican Party to “immediately come clean.”
“Did Alishtari receive special access to Republican leaders and members” of Congress in return for his donations, Miss Crider asked yesterday. “Which Republican candidates has the NRCC supported with Alishtari’s money? Has the NRCC returned Alishtari’s contributions?”
We now know the answer to that last question. Nevertheless, I can only hope the Dems follow up on this story exactly as Republicans would if the situation were reversed.
Moreover, Josh Marshall, who started reporting on this over the weekend, has a copy of the pseudo press release the RNC “sent out” when Alishtari was appointed to the NRCC’s pseudo Business Advisory Council. Alishtari’s website “also apparently had copies of signed photos from President Bush as well as a note from President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush thanking Alishtari for contributing to the Republican party.”
One last thing: ABC News’ Jake Tapper asks, “If a major contributor to the Democratic party had been indicted for allegedly trying to provide material support for terrorist training camps — as happened to a GOP fundraiser on Friday — what would happen? What would be the response on talk radio? Cable news?”
Good question. Put it this way: Republicans completely manufactured a bogus story about Speaker Pelosi and a military plane, and it became a huge topic in the political discourse. In this case, here’s a story about an actual GOP donor facing charges of financing terrorism. It should probably be at least as big a controversy as Pelosi’s plane.