Muslim Congressman's Hajj paid for by Muslim Brotherhood front group

WOOOOOO wait a minute here forget haj or muslim for a minute this is illegal.steveson just went to jail for excepring gifts i believe you cannot except over 50 dollars in gifts.
Why isn't this PART OF THE NEWS STORY .
Now on the brotherhood part they are classified as a terror group why is this allowed.
Man as A LIBERAL IT AMAZES ME HOW DEM CTIMINAL ACTS ARE IGNORED WHILE REPS ARE CRUCIFIED FOR SAYING WORDS LIKE THE STROM THERMAN THING.

Exactly HOW will Ellison get re-elected? Mass hypnosis? Liberal guilt? Minnesota madness? Deliberate ignorance?

Time to get the Ruby Slippers, Toto. We are not in Kansas.

"Islam is a political ideology. It is a system that lays down detailed rules for society and the life of every person. Islam wants to dictate every aspect of life. Islam means ‘submission’. Islam is not compatible with freedom and democracy. Mohammed was a warlord, a mass murderer, a pedophile, and had several marriages – at the same time. Islamic tradition tells us how he fought in battles, how he had his enemies murdered and even had prisoners of war executed. Mohammed himself slaughtered the Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayza. He advised on matters of slavery, but never advised to liberate slaves. Islam has no other morality than the advancement of Islam. There is no moderate Muslim" You cannot reason with Islam or fight against it with democratic rules. Only a system with a totalitarian political ideology like Communism can confront the Islamic insurgence and expansion. Unless majority of the just world and United Nations have the courage to expose / ban Quoran as a literature that incites extreme violence and destruction of non muslims, unless muslims denounce these passages as offensive to humanity , followers of Islam will keep perprating heinous crimes against humanity, will keep on expanding their influence. Democtatic countries will be defeated by Islam as Muslims living in democratic countries use democracy to further the cause of Islam .And in the end world will be left with one Islamic Caliphate, and a non Muslim Communist country like China. In the end it will be their fight.

Again Islam gets a pass and yet we're told by the ever self-pitying, chronically complaining Muslim community in America and around the world that Islam is unfairly singled out for criticism. What a pain in the ass Islam is.

Gift Rules for Congress

Both houses of Congress have specific regulations concerning gifts that may be accepted by Members and staff. The term “gift” covers any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, or other item having monetary value. In particular, the term includes services, training, transportation, lodging and meals, whether provided in kind, by purchase of a ticket, payment in advance, or reimbursement after the expense has been incurred.

A gift is deemed to be “accepted” if a Member or employee of Congress exercises dominion over or control of the gift. It does not matter whether it would be used personally by the individual or anybody else.

A gift to a family member or any other individual is considered a gift to the Member or employee of Congress if there is reason to believe the gift was given because of his/her official position.

General Provisions

While gifts rules for the House and the Senate tend to be similar, the House on January 4th and 5th, 2007, adopted a new set of gift restrictions, especially as they apply to lobbyists.

Generally, a Member or employee of Congress may accept a gift only if it is unsolicited and the:

• Gift is valued at less than $50;

• Aggregate value of gifts from one source in a calendar year is less than $100, though no gifts with a value below $10 count toward the $100 annual limit;

• Gift is not cash or a cash equivalent (e.g. stocks and bonds). The only exceptions are gifts made by relatives and parts of an inheritance;

• Gift is not offered under circumstances that might be construed by reasonable persons as influencing the performance of their governmental duties;

• Tickets to sporting and entertainment events must be valued at face value and cannot be artificially lowered to meet the gift limits.

Gift Ban for Lobbyists, Lobbying Organizations and Agents of Foreign Principals

In the House, more stringent gift rules apply to gifts and travel benefits provided by lobbyists, lobbying organization and agents of a foreign principal. A Member or employee of the House may not accept a gift of any value from a registered lobbyist, an organization that employs a registered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign principal, subject to certain exceptions described below. Furthermore, in most situations, the gift ban covers employees of organizations that employ lobbyists, even if the employee is not a lobbyist and pays for the gift with personal funds.

A 501(c)(3) charity may be subject to the gift ban if it employs or retains a lobbyist, except for the following situation. A lawmaker may accept free attendance at a charity event hosted by a 501(c)(3) charity, even if the event is not a widely-attended event and regardless of whether the charity employs a lobbyist. Local transportation and lodging may be included in “free attendance” so long as all of the net proceeds benefit the charity and the travel and lodging expenses are paid for by the charity.

In addition to the gift ban in the House applicable to lobbyists, lobbying organizations and foreign agents, the gift rules of both the House and the Senate have other specific prohibitions for gifts from registered lobbyists and foreign agents. Members and employees of Congress may not accept:

1. Anything provided by a registered lobbyist or a foreign agent to an entity that is maintained or controlled by a Member or employee of Congress;

2. Charitable contributions from lobbyists and foreign agents expressly solicited by a Member or employee (except in lieu of honoraria);

3. Contributions from lobbyists or foreign agents to a conference, retreat, or similar event, sponsored by or affiliated with an official congressional committee or caucus;

4. Contributions from lobbyists and foreign agents to legal defense funds of Members, officers and employees of Congress;

5. Gifts of personal hospitality unless lobbyists or agents of foreign principals qualify as personal friends;and

6. Reimbursements from lobbyists and foreign agents for officially-connected travel. Many of the same restrictions apply to lobbying organizations. (see “Summary of Congressional Travel Rules”).

These limitations make the gift rules very strict. However, numerous exceptions dramatically reduce the scope of the regulations. There are 24 exceptions to the gift rules in general, many of which also apply to the gift ban from lobbyists, lobbying organizations, and agents of foreign principals.

Exceptions to Congressional Gift Rules

A Member or employee of Congress may accept gifts that exceed the value limit for individual gifts and annual limit for gifts from one source if they are subject to one of 24 exceptions. Most of these exceptions (unless otherwise noted) also apply to the gift ban for lobbyists, lobbying organizations and agents of a foreign principal. These exceptions are:

1. Anything for which the Member or employee pays the market value, or does not use and promptly returns. If it is not practicable to return the item to the giver because it is perishable, it may be given to an appropriate charity or discarded.

2. Political contributions reported under the law, or attendance at a fundraising event sponsored by a political organization.

3. Gifts from relatives. A “relative” means a father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, great aunt, great uncle, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, wife, grandfather, grandmother, grandson, granddaughter, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-inlaw, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, half sister, or who is the grandfather or grandmother of the spouse of the individual.Fiancés and fiancées are also subject to this exception, which is why engagement rings and other tokens are not counted towards the gift limit.

4. Anything, including personal hospitality, provided by an individual on the basis of a personal friendship. However, such gifts may not exceed $250 in value unless the recipient gets approval from the respective Ethics Committee. Though the rule does not explicitly exempt gifts given because of a significant, personal, dating relationship, the Ethics Committees may grant a waiver permitting the recipient to accept such a gift.

5. Contributions or payments to an approved legal expense trust fund. Officeholders may establish this fund to pay for legal expenses associated with official congressional duties. The individual establishing the fund may make unlimited contributions. However, contributions to a legal defense fund maintained by a Member of the House are limited to $5,000 per year and no lobbyist or foreign agent may contribute to such a fund. In the Senate, contributions to a legal defense fund are limited to $10,000 and no lobbyist, foreign agent, congressional staff person, corporation or labor union may contribute to it.

6. Gifts from another Member or employee of Congress. Whereas Members of Congress are allowed to make any gifts to other Members, the situation related to congressional staff is more complicated because federal employees are prohibited by law from giving a gift to a superior without approval of the respective Ethics Committee.However, both Ethics Committees usually permit voluntary gifts given on specific occasions like marriage, retirement, birth of a child, birthday or anniversary. On the other hand, congressional employees are strictly prohibited from making contributions to the campaign of their supervising Member of Congress.

7. Food, refreshments, lodging, and other benefits that result from the outside business or employment of the Member, or employee, or his/her spouse. The benefits should be customarily provided and not offered or enhanced because of the official position of the Member or employee. For example, the exception covers benefits customarily provided by a prospective employer in connection with bona fide employment discussions,or benefits provided by a political organization in connection with a fundraising or campaign event sponsored by the organization.

8. Pension and other benefits resulting from continued participation in an employee welfare and benefits plan maintained by a former employer. Such benefits are considered earnings from the previous employment rather than a gift. At the same time, neither the former employer nor the recipient may continue to contribute to the pension or the benefit plan.

9. Informational materials, such as books, articles, periodicals, audio or videotapes, sent to the office.

10. Awards or prizes won in contests open to the public. The group of competitors should be chosen on the basis of talent. However, the awards and prizes received under this exception must be disclosed as earned income in the annual disclosure statements.

11. Honorary degrees (and associated travel, food, refreshments, and entertainment) and other bona fide, non-momentary awards presented in recognition of public service. If the value of the award is more than $250, the Member or employee of Congress must disclose acceptance of the award in the annual disclosure form. If the event where a cash award is bestowed is not open to public, the recipient may accept the honor of the award, but the proposed cash award should be given directly to a designated charity, unless the waiver is guaranteed by the respective Ethics Committee.

12. Donations of products from the home state that are intended primarily for promotional purposes. To be covered with this exemption, the gifts must be of minimal value to any individual recipient, come from producers or distributors of the Member’s home state and be available to office visitors. However, a loan of art work from home state producers or distributors is not considered a gift.

13. Training in the interest of Congress. Training expenditures, including food and refreshments furnished to all attendees as an integral part of the training, are exempt from the gift limitations. However, the rules don’t allow a Member or employee to accept reimbursement for transportation or lodging in connection with the training (but provision of local transportation is permitted).

14. Bequests, inheritances, and other transfers at death.

15. Any item whose receipt is authorized by the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act, the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act, or any other statute. MECEA covers only gifts of travel funded by foreign governments. FGDA authorizes Members and employees to accept gifts of minimal value tendered as a souvenir or a mark of courtesy.Under the current regulations, the upper limit of value is $100 for the Senate and $260 for the House. In addition, FGDA allows accepting, but not retaining, a gift of more than the defined the gift would likely cause offense or embarrassment or otherwise adversely affect the foreign relations of the United States. Such gifts are to be accepted on behalf of the United States. Within 60 days the gifts must be turned over to the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate for disposal. On the other hand, with the consent of the respective Ethics Committee the Member or employee may retain the gift for display in his or her office or other official use.

16. Anything paid for by the Federal government, or secured by the Government under a Government contract. State and local governmental agencies are not exempt from the gift restriction, or the gift ban if they employ a lobbyist. In addition, a Member or employee may accept gifts from Native American groups that are federally recognized.

17. Personal hospitality, other than from a registered lobbyist, lobbying organization or agent of a foreign principal. This exemption covers hospitality in any personal residence that an individual owns or leases under a lease unrelated to the individual’s employment. Additionally, personal hospitality must be paid by the individual himself, not by a corporation or firm, even if the corporation or firm is wholly owned by the individual.

18. Free attendance at a widely attended event that is officially related to Congressional duties.

• An event is considered widely attended when at least 25 persons from outside Congress are expected to attend.

• The event should be open to members from a given industry or profession, or to a range of persons interested in an issue.

• Free attendance does not include entertainment collateral to the event, such as tickets to a sporting or some other purely recreational event.

• The exemption also does not cover food or refreshments that are not taken in a group setting with substantially all of the other attendees.

• A ticket to a sporting or recreational event that is not a charity must come within the gift limit of $49.99 and the aggregate limit from the source of $99.99 per year.

Even lobbyists, lobbying firms or foreign agents may sponsor a widely attended event.

19. Free attendance at a charity event, as long as the charity event is not sponsored or paid for by a registered lobbyist, lobbying organization or agent of a foreign principal. Even free attendance to a charity event provided by a legitimate sponsor that is substantially recreational may be accepted.

20. Opportunities and benefits that are offered because of the Member’s or employee’s membership in a group that is not defined on the basis of the employment with Congress. This exemption includes benefits or commercial loans available to the public or all federal employees, reduced fees for participation in organization activities offered to all government employees by professional organizations, etc.

21. A plaque, trophy, or other item that is substantially commemorative in nature and that is intended solely for presentation. However, such items whose value exceeds $250 must be listed on annual financial disclosure statements.

22. Anything for which a waiver is granted by the respective Ethics Committee. The waivers are granted in unusual cases and cover wedding gifts, gifts given because of a significant, personal, dating relationship, etc.

23. Food or refreshments of a nominal value offered other than as part of a meal, known as the “toothpick rule.” The Ethics Committees distinguishes the provision of “food” from the sharing of a “meal.” A reception where the attendees consume food or drink standing up, like a continental style breakfast where coffee and donuts are served, is not considered a meal and therefore is covered by the exemption. Generally, such reception food should avoid coinciding with lunch time.

The food sent to a congressional office for consumption by a group of the office’s employees (commonly known as the ‘pizza rule’) is subject to different regulations. In the Senate it is regarded as one gift to the Member of Congress and is subject to the $49.99 per single gift limit and $99.99 annual gift limit. This result may not be avoided by having the food divided into separate packages labeled with the names of individual staff members. In the House, however, the value of perishable food shall be allocated among the individual recipients and not to the Member. In the House, such meals may not be accepted from lobbyists, lobbying organizations or agents of a foreign principal.

24. An item of little intrinsic value such as a greeting card or T-shirt.

Ethics Training for Members and Employees of Congress

The congressional ethics committees provide regular ethics training seminars to all Members and employees of Congress, In the House, all employees are required to receive at least one hour of ethics training annually; officers and senior employees must receive at least two hours of ethics training annually. Training seminars are provided in class as well through video replays of live training sessions.

Since pre-approval for offering or receiving gifts is strongly encouraged, Members and employees of Congress, as well as the general public, may seek advice from the House ethics committee’s Office of Advice and Education at (202) 225-7103. Similar assistance is expected to be offered by the Senate ethics committee upon final approval of its new gift rules.

Did the Tribune delete some of the content quoted by Robert in the original post? There is now nothing mentioned in the article about the MAS paying his way. If this was indeed in the original as posted, why did the Tribune remove it? Robert, I hope you saved a screen copy of the original.

Go get him, guys!

Wouldn't it be ironic if the Minneapolis MAS, Keith Ellison, and the guys being investigated currently in Minneapolis for recruiting Somalis to fight jihad were all associated???

Careylj,

Page 2.....

"While he consulted the State Department over any potential danger, Ellison said, he wasn't worried about his safety. He traveled mainly with fellow members of his Minneapolis mosque; no security guards went along. His expenses were paid for by the Muslim American Society of Minnesota."

"Ellison: Hajj Was Transformative."

Well, that's just GREAT!

I'm so happy to hear it. Now maybe we can get this U.S.A. stealth jihad thing rolling in a big way.

But, wait, from what and to what was Ellison transformed?

I must have missed that part in the original news-piece. Maybe we'll find out in all the follow-up media reports that will come later ..................

In the "Stealth Jihad" a "Muslim Brotherhood" OPEN RELATIONSHIP with a Muslim U.S. Congressman is a victory for them and another example of how they ,LIKE HITLER DID in Germany ,USE DEMOCRACY Against itself!

As a Congressman , Ellison had to take an Oath COMMITTING "True Faith and Allegience" to the United States.

His RELATIONSHIP with the "Muslim Brotherhood's" American Arm, the MAS, creates ISLAM 'Related' doubts about the PRIMACY of his CONFLICTING OATHS.

Ellison is guilty of sedition and treason!

CHOI wrote:

"As a Congressman , Ellison had to take an Oath COMMITTING "True Faith and Allegience" to the United States."

Does Ellison's oath count if he swore on the Koran?

Slightly OT, but good news: Rep. Frank Wolf from VA's 10th District signed on to a letter from Sue Myrick to AIG asking them not to engage in Sharia finance. We have another good guy in our camp.

He also asked the State Department to investigate a Saudi madrassa in VA for the 5th time, since the DoE is apparently failing us, or really finding out the truth but not being able to do anything because Saudi madrassas don't need state funding.

Ellison is f'ing shady. He was at the CAIR fundraiser when Ahwad or whatever his name is got served.

From The Times:
A U.K. National Health Service doctor was imprisoned, drugged, bound and gagged before being forced into marriage in Bangladesh, it emerged Friday, as a British judge issued an order telling her parents not “to pester, harass or intimidate” her.

Dr. Humayra Abedin, 32, was held captive for four-and-a-half months by her family and was forced to marry while under the influence of drugs. She was freed by a court in Bangladesh and returned to Britain on Tuesday.

She's not Mrs. Ellison is she?

Oh hell no. Her parents at least pimped her away to a doctor. He's a trial lawyer who specialized in pushing for Sharia and making Muslims a special, protected class.

A transformational experience paid for by the MAS.

This probably is illegal and should be looked into...

If nothing else it shows the shady Islamic characters Ellison hangs out with...

To Always on Watch,
I totally agree with you. He should be arresated and convicted of treason

We have to face the fact that nobody cares.
When I explain to the readers of my hometown paper about the threat of creeping islamization ,all I get is "your tinfoil hat is a little tight" etc.
A few people understand what is happening, but our media is doing a great job of covering for their Arab masters.

Does Ellison's oath count if he swore on the Koran?

Posted by: CTYankee at December 19, 2008 7:18 PM

Big pile of TAQIYYA, if he so chooses.

He actually swore on Thomas Jefferson's Koran.

Who elected Ellison?

Check his donor list, it looks very self explanatory.

http://www.newsmeat.com/campaign_contributions_to_politicians/donor_list.php?candidate_id=H6MN05183&li=A

Maybe the good Congressman from Minneapolis can explain his thought on the March 2008 meeting in MN with NJ Congressman Donald Payne, where Payne openly proclaimed, "There is no Al Qaeda in Somalia"

Thoughts Keith?

http://www.somalitalk.com/2008/mar/19mar08.html

And here's a 2006 story with Ellison, a guy Robert reported on previously named Hassan Mohamud Jaamici, and the MAS....who, strangely enough, was also a donor to Ellison in 2006, but not 2008. Wonder why?

jdamn: As you probably already know, Jefferson had a very low opinion of Islam. He referred to the Koran as "demonic." Interestingly, though Jefferson did not think Jesus divine, he did believe that Jesus was the greatest ethical teacher of all time. For Mohammed, he had nothing but contempt. I'm sure the rube, Ellison, was not aware of this when he insisted he be sworn in as a Congressman on Jefferson's copy of the Koran. But then ignorance among Muslims is a common feature throughout Islamic history.

Sorry,

Here is the 2006 link for Ellison and Hassan Mohamud from the MAS. Typepad and myself are having issues.

http://www.somalitalk.com/2006/sept/13sept36.html

An appeal to Mr's Ellison : Please do not convert. It is ok not to go to filthy place called MECCA.

Exactly HOW will Ellison get re-elected? Mass hypnosis? Liberal guilt? Minnesota madness? Deliberate ignorance?

Time to get the Ruby Slippers, Toto. We are not in Kansas.

Posted by: tanstaafl at December 19, 2008 4:43 PM

Since Liberalism is a mental disorder and Minneapolis being a EXTREME libtard utopia, no coincidence Ellison was elected.

Liberalism - the great enabler of Jihad in western culture.

Oh, Wellington, I'm aware of our founding fathers' attitudes toward Islam. He was probably researching it in order to know his enemy who we had to fight off the Barbary Coast. Whether Ellison knows that is irrelevant. What matters is the dhimmi American public's wrong idea as to why Thomas Jefferson had a Koran. My mother would no doubt think that he "was interested in it because it's one of the '3 great Abrahamic faiths.'"

Jdamn wrote:

Oh hell no. Her parents at least pimped her away to a doctor.
..................

Actually, Jdamn, it's the lady herself who's a doctor, with the British National Health Service. Her intelligence and high status were no safeguards when her family lured her back to Bangladesh, stole her passport, imprisoned, drugged, and threatened her. It was Infidel pressure that led to her release and return to the UK. I just hope she's safe from her savage family.

Wonder if he puts his prayer rug down on the carpet of the sacred congressional halls!!!

He was a doctor too, Gravenimage:

Her parents told her they wanted her to wed Dr Khondokar Mohammad Abdul Jalal, whom she had previously declined to marry.

(from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5370592.ece , linked-to on DhimmiWatch).

You know, college students are known for making stupid mistakes - but none quite like Ellison or my bud Scott Lucas at UA.

Why did this organization pay for his trip in the first place? I am sure he can afford it himself!

Since majority of our politicians are ignorant or retards when it comes to understanding Islam plans to destroy our democracy from within, we need to elect new bread of politicians that will publicly state that they will protect the US Constitution.

The Sharia Finance is a giant step towards Sharia Law which aims at replacing our US Constitution - a threat we can not tolerate. Sharia Finance directly threatens our US Constitution.

It is now or never - our politicians must stand bravely and openly declare that they are running to protect our threatened US Constitution. Sharia Law is a threat to our Constitution and Sharia finance should be eliminated as it is anti US Constitution and even illegal in most cases.

Could you imagine if a Communist or Social Party were dictating to the banks whom they could lend money to and whom they should not? All hell would break lose. Imagine if these parties were to say you can lend individuals loans for home buyers but not for vehicle purchases. No loans to investors or entrepreneurs or any capitalistic organizations. We would never allow the Communist Party to do this so why are we allowing the Muslim Party to do what we would not allow others?

"Fear nothing but the fear itself" - FDR. Our politician must not fear assassination by Muslims who will attempt to kill anyone who stands in their way. If our politicians fear assassination then in principle, they are surrendering to fear and then defeat. When we fear, our enemy gets stronger and stronger while we get weaker and weaker until it is too late.

the senator is now a Hajji (allahajji is what i've heard before frequently) he is now only passing through this life, a stranger here, with apparently a place in Paradise reserved for him ... don't know which level ... because he finished the hajj. although Allah is fickle he will now be afforded many priveleges among the mosque.

could possibly be included under #20 in the 19Dec Saracen post, above.

imagine what increased contact with the Meccan crowd might mean... as he further practices his "religion" on the hill.

i'm assuming he completed the entire rigor and threw stones at the Devil (...imagining the "Great Satan" perhaps?)

the senator is now a Hajji (allahajji is what i've heard before frequently) he is now only passing through this life, a stranger here, with apparently a place in Paradise reserved for him ... don't know which level ... because he finished the hajj. although Allah is fickle he will now be afforded many priveleges among the mosque.

could possibly be included under #20 in the 19Dec Saracen post, above.

imagine what increased contact with the Meccan crowd might mean... as he further practices his "religion" on the hill.

i'm assuming he completed the entire rigor and threw stones at the Devil (...imagining the "Great Satan" perhaps?)

So that fool goes to hideous Mecca in Saudi Arabia, ruled or rather misruled by the abominable House of Saud, a country in which women can be stoned and unfortunates beheaded upon the flimsiest of pretexts; and marches widdershins around the kaaba, and kisses a black stone, and throws rocks at a pillar representing 'satan'; all of it in a place where, if his non-Muslim wife dared to try to enter, she would be lynched and executed on the spot. How 'transformative'. NOT.

*I'd* rather go visit *this* place:

http://english.thekotel.org/

http://www.thekotel.org/

or this place:

http://www.isle-of-iona.com/

or this place

http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique12.html

Somehow I think any one of these - and there are many, many more that might be mentioned, in Israel, in Europe, and beyond - would be more genuinely 'transformative', than anything on offer in Mecca.

There would be music and singing, for one thing.

And non-Christians aren't murdered if they step onto the Isle of Iona; and non-Jews of goodwill are welcomed in Jerusalem.