Pro-Hamas group rallies to support controversial White House staffer

Public support for a controversial White House staffer and a prominent GOP activist is coming from an odd source: A left-wing group whose leaders reportedly support Hamas terrorists.

The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) is trying to rally public backing for the low-ranking administration staffer, whom it refuses to name, in response to Center for Security Policy President Frank Gaffney’s warning that the official was bringing pro-terrorist activists into the White House.

Gaffney identified the staffer as Ali Tulbah. Groups supportive of Hamas have not refuted Gaffney’s statements. Instead, they and their political allies have tried to divert attention from the terrorism question by accusing Gaffney, American Conservative Union President David Keene and others of "racism and bigotry," or in MPAC’s word, "slander."

Earlier MPAC involvement with the White House, in 2000, generated a blast in the Wall Street Journal, in which a terrorism expert excoriated then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton for consorting with Hamas supporters, including MPAC.

MPAC joins anti-Bush coalition. In a recent statement, MPAC announced it was joining the nationwide February 15 demonstrations against President Bush’s policy toward Iraq. Those demonstrations are organized by International ANSWER, a front of the Workers World Party, which openly supports the Kim Jong-il regime in North Korea. MPAC has promoted International ANSWER activity in the past.

A Hillary Clinton-style scandal might await the Bush administration if White House political operatives aren’t more careful. As the Wall Street Journal commentary noted more than two years ago, "the issue is whether Mrs. Clinton has unwittingly enabled these groups to gain legitimacy." That same standard applies today.

Libertarian fatwa. Over the past week, MPAC heaped praise libertarian activist Grover Norquist for publicly assailing Gaffney, and issued a release stating, "MPAC asks Americans to defend White House employees."

MPAC is urging supporters to "Thank Mr. Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, for defending integrity within the Republican party and preserve fairness toward all American citizens."

The Washington Times has reported on the controversy, saying Norquist "has been accused of suppressing criticism of radical Islamic influence at the White House."