To update a story we were following closely last week, the National Republican Congressional Committee still<\/i> doesn’t want to give up the contributions it received from an accused terrorist, even though its Senate counterpart has done the right thing.<\/p>\n
For those of you just joining us, here’s a quick review. Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari (aka Michael Mixon) is currently facing federal charges for allegedly providing material support to terrorists. Alishtari is also a generous Republican donor<\/a>, contributing more than $15,000 in the ’02 and ’04 cycles to the National Republican Congressional Committee, and having been named to the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s “Inner Circle Leadership Committee.” NRCC officials acknowledged last week that they took money from an accused terrorist financier, but decided that they won’t return the money<\/a>. (For reasons that I don’t understand, the national media has largely passed<\/a> on this story.)<\/p>\n The good news is, the Republicans’ Senate campaign committee has given away<\/a> Alishtari’s contributions….<\/p>\n NRSC Communications Director Rebecca Fisher said: “In light of the recent charges filed against a former donor, the National Republican Senatorial Committee will donate the sum total of the former donor\u2019s contributions to a charitable organization. The money will go to an organization that benefits our military men and women and their families.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n …and the bad news is the Republicans’ House campaign committee doesn’t care<\/a>. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) announced it is donating their contributions from the accused terrorist to charity, but the NRCC is stubbornly refusing to follow suit.<\/p>\n “Republican Members should demand that their leadership and the NRCC get rid of the accused terrorist’s campaign contributions,” said Jennifer Crider, Communications Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Why is the NRCC reluctant to donate to charity this accused terrorist’s campaign contributions? Did any Republican leaders or Republican Members meet with Alishtari?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n This should be a no-brainer. Alishtari stands accused of trying to send $152,000 to buy equipment for terrorist training camps in Afghanistan. He also ran a company, GlobalProtector, which was bidding on multiple government contracts — including ones with the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security — around the same time Alishtari was cutting checks to the NRCC.<\/p>\n The NRCC’s reluctance doesn’t make any sense. The committee can afford to donate the $15,000 Alishtari contributed and make these questions go away. Why wouldn’t NRCC officials err on the side of propriety, especially when it comes to an accused terrorist financier?<\/p>\n As long as we’re on the subject, it’s also worth noting that some of the leading conservative bloggers aren’t terribly impressed by the NRCC’s strategy either. Hugh Hewiit said<\/a>, “Look, the standard for conviction is very different than the standard for taking money. I don’t think the NRCC should keep the money of indicted terrorist suspects. Donate the money to the Semper Fi Fund or a similar group helping the wounded from the war. Now.”<\/p>\n
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