Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) on Thursday suggested that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had been infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood.
At a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Gohmert questioned DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano about Mohamed Elibiary, a Muslim appointed to the Homeland Security Advisory Council in 2010. Conservative publications have accused Elibiary of leaking sensitive intelligence documents to the media.
Napolitano told Gohmert that the allegations were "false, misleading and objectionable."
"First of all, we have several people on the Homeland Security Advisory Committee who are Muslim," she added. "They've been helping law enforcement for a long time. Mr. Elibiary himself was recognized by the FBI."
Gohmert then asked if Napolitano was bothered by the fact that Elibiary "accessed information."
"He accessed some information," she replied. "What bothers me, quite frankly, are the allegations that are made against anyone who happens to be Muslim."
Last week, Gohmert and Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Trent Franks (R-AZ), Thomas Rooney (R-FL), and Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) sent a letter to inspectors general in the State, Homeland Security, Defense and Justice departments calling on them to investigate “potential Muslim Brotherhood infiltration” of the Obama administration by Huma Abedin, an aide to Secretary Clinton and wife of former Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY). The Republican lawmakers have been widely condemned for their “specious and degrading attacks.”
"The allegations are not because he is Muslim," Gohmert insisted. "You've followed me around the world, you've seen me huggin Muslims around the world, because the ones I hug are our friends, and this administration seems to have a hard time recognizing members of terrorist groups who are allowed into the White House. You're aware of that happening, aren't you?"
"Absolutely not," Napolitano curtly said.
Gohmert said Napolitano must be kept in the dark because the evidence spoke for itself. Gohmert was apparently making reference to Hani Nour Eldin, a member of Egypt's parliament. Eldin is a member of a group designated by the U.S. government as a "foreign terrorist organization". He had a meeting in Washington, D.C. with U.S. officials in June, along with other Egyptian lawmakers.
Gohert suggested that Elibiary was also connected to the Muslim Brotherhood, noting he founded the Texas-based Freedom and Justice Foundation in 2002. The Muslim Brotherhood named its Egyptian political party the "Freedom and Justice Party" in 2011.
"This committee has a long a proud tradition," Napolitano said, after being interrupted by Gohmert several times. "These kinds of insinuations demean the committee. The insinuation that I or my staff would allow someone who is a terrorist to infiltrate--"
"I have not insinuated that Elibiary is a terrorist," Gohmert angrily interjected. "Elibiary is a very nice gentleman. I have met him a couple of times. He is a nice guy. There is no such insinuation, and that the Secretary of Homeland Security would come in hear and make such an allegation is not right."
Watch video, uploaded to YouTube by Rep. Louie Gohmert, below:
[Image via Mark Taylor, Creative Commons licensed]
