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July 17th, 2012
09:54 PM ET

Rep. Keith Ellison on "AC360" Muslim infiltration claims 'not true'

Democratic Congressman Keith Ellison refutes the claims made by Rep. Michele Bachmann and four of her Republican colleagues in letters sent to government agencies calling for an investigation into potential Muslim extremists. Rep. Ellison tells Anderson Cooper that Bachmann's claims of 'deep penetration' of Muslim extremist infiltration into the highest levels of the U.S. government are "not true, it doesn't exist, its a phantom" and that "it just is the worst of guilt by association, it is a stark front to American values" and "we've got to stand up for this idea that we all count in this America"

soundoff (14 Responses)
  1. Daniel

    Wow. Umm... Michelle I refer you to a certain document that discusses freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. Just wow... so.. you claim there are Musim 'extremists' in the highest levels of our government. Can you show any evidence of a crime committed by anyone. Anyone at all? If so then provide that evidence to the FBI and I'm pretty sure they will investigate it.

    July 19, 2012 at 8:44 pm |
  2. May Solomon

    It would be interesting to have statistics about the number of Muslims in the Obama administration and its increase or decrease vis-a-viz other administrations. Also interesting to find out that now there is an Arab spring everywhere even in the US while an automn happening in the minds of American who are totally divided, who wins the spring of course. Thank you Anderson for making this happen

    July 19, 2012 at 1:54 pm |
  3. cmmacneil

    Michele Bachmann and her "concerns" about U.S. safety against Islamic extremists resurrects the shameful and disgraceful McCarthy-era witch hunts that destroyed not only careers but very lives with the same ideology: guilt by association although, in Bachmann's deluded reasoning, that association has six degrees of separation. The self-seeking Bachmann, if she is as worried about U.S. security as she alleges to be, ought to consider the damage to this country that her self-promoting concern in the global community. And directly to Bachmann herself: as to your letter of July 18 on your website, if the letters you and your "colleagues" sent June 13 to government officials "are unfortunately being distorted," stop literally running away from news reporters and "de-distort" what your letters say. I will not hold my breath; I doubt you have the integrity required of a public servant to do so. And to Sen. John McCain: thank you, Sir, for denouncing this dangerous, self-seeking woman's tactics on the Senate floor.

    July 19, 2012 at 11:20 am |
  4. cmmacneil

    With her unsubstantiated "concerns" about U.S. security, Ms. Bachmann has resurrected the shameful McCarthy-era witch hunt that destroyed not only careers but the very lives of anyone ruined by "guilt by association," all for the disgraceful reason of self-promotion. This woman is a dangerous loose canon whose gutter tactics have served so far to bring disgrace to America's image abroad. Ironically, from the disgrace that Bachmann brings to the United States in the global community, she has given me reason to respect even more Sen. McCain. Thank you, Sir, for your service to the country in humiliating this self-seeking and destructive woman on the floor of the U.S. Senate. And, to Bachmann directly, as per your letter of July 18 on your website – that your comments "are unfortunately being distorted" – stop dodging interview requests and "de-distort" your comments. I won't hold my breath, though: I doubt you're enough of an ethical "public servant" to do it.

    July 19, 2012 at 11:09 am |
  5. Michelle

    Thank goodness for Congressman Ellison bringing some sanity back to Minnesota. Thank you, Anderson Cooper, for having him on your show!

    July 18, 2012 at 8:53 pm |
  6. jane marian

    No responses.......Shocking.
    Thank-you Congressman Keith Ellison and thank-you Anderson Cooper for your attention to this matter. I can't bring myself to believe that we are headed down that road.....It has come to this ??
    We need you to stay on this like ham on rye.
    And it would also be nice if you refreshed your site and had a little more interaction ie Disqus or some such. (with all due respect) sorry.

    July 18, 2012 at 8:48 pm |
  7. rose-ellen

    Keep on exposing these dangerous bigots Anderson.Not only is this reminiscent of McCarthyism-this is how genocide starts;politicians and media spreading propaganda and no one treating it seriously .

    July 18, 2012 at 8:28 pm |
  8. Sue S

    All I can say is that this woman Michelle Bachman wanted to be our president how sad !!!

    July 18, 2012 at 8:23 pm |
  9. Pat in MN

    More time has been given to Rep. Ellison's denials than to the legitimate concerns expressed by Michelle Bachmann and others. The 16-page letter Rep. Bachmann sent to Rep. Ellison clearly contained evidence supporting the expressed concerns. Anderson, you should have called out Ellison's remarks that he absolutely mischaracterized as Bachmann quotes. A disservice to the American people was done by allowing the downplaying of this very real concern.

    July 18, 2012 at 5:33 pm |
  10. Kevin A. Lewis

    We need to stop being so polite when confronted by a gaggle of publicity-seeking crackpots like Michele Bachmann and Co.-I won't go so far as to call these worthy public representatives pathological liars, but if Michele tells you the sky is blue, you'd better double-check..........

    July 18, 2012 at 2:45 pm |
  11. Lynne Clements

    Anderson, did you read the letters and the 16 page response to Ellison? For the sake of our country, you might just do so. We depend on you and other news outlets to provide the truth. Very poor interview on your part. I did my homework and have for years. I can easily discern the truth, but many other Americans depend on you. You let your country down by not asking the tough questions nor demanding credibility from Ellison. He has none. You might begin with the muslim term taquiya.

    July 18, 2012 at 1:30 pm |
  12. BG

    Michelle Bachman is making Sarah Palin look like a genius. At least she wasn't as full of looney Muslim conspiracy theories. What some people won't do to grab the spotlight!

    July 18, 2012 at 1:19 am |
  13. edward

    Was
    Huma Abedin, the wife of Anthony Weiner and the Deputy Chief of Staff to Hillary
    Clinton, unaware that her mother was reported as a member of the Muslim
    Brotherhood? Is it possible she does not know that her brother is tied to the
    Brotherhood’s radical leadership? Did Western media miss what has been revealed
    in several Arab newspapers, which has remained secret in American government
    circles?

    July 18, 2012 at 1:17 am |
  14. Bob

    I have watched both segments on Muslim Infiltration and I have to disagree with you and the people you have had on the program. If anyone doesn't think the Muslim Brotherhood is not doing everything they can to infiltrate the government at all levels they need to have their heads examined. The Muslims groups are trying to change our school systems to be more in line with Islam. I have been reading many different books to form my own opinion and my opinion is Radical Islam is trying to undermind America and it has been up front about that. I know may people say the moderate Muslims are not that way. My opinion is they are not any better than the Radicals if they don't stand up and point fingers at who the radicals are. The moderate will not do that because the radicals will take action againt them and their families. If the Muslims are so peace loving why are there "No Go Zones" in America and across Europe? They are not peace loving people. The Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamci groups are using our own laws to gain a foot hold in all levels of government, etc. There are devout Muslims in high ranking government positions who have access to sensetive government materials.

    Michelle Bachman and the others have rang a bell loud and clear, a bell that needs to wake up all of America and the world. Many have been trying to ring this bell for a long time, but everyone wants to play nice and be politically correct.

    Why don't you have someone on your program such as Brigitte Gabriel of Act for America who will tell you the truth about the Muslim Brotherhood or are you and CNN afraid to upset the establishment? Oh, by the way I work in an Islamic country, so I know from the ground level who and what these people are and what they are like from first hand experience.

    July 18, 2012 at 12:06 am |