This news story is something so rare that I can’t think of even a single other example of it: mainstream media space given to a figure vilified by the Leftist establishment, to rebut that establishment’s charges. Usually the media presents the defamation of the hard-Left Southern Poverty Law Center and the Hamas-linked Council on American-Islamic Relations as if it were objective, unimpeachable fact. Ordinarily, no mainstream media reporter ever asks why the word of such organizations should be taken as gospel, and no dissenting voices challenging those organizations ever appear. But in this NOLA.com/Times Picayune piece, JR Ball allows former FBI agent John Guandolo space to rebut the SPLC/CAIR charges, and to explain what these organizations are really all about. If the establishment media did this regularly, the influence of both of these unsavory and dishonest groups would vanish in a matter of weeks.
“Louisiana anti-jihad seminar leader fires back at critics, takes aim at Southern Poverty Law Center,” by JR Ball, NOLA.com, March 4, 2017:
Declaring that the Southern Poverty Law Center is giving aid to a terrorist organization, John Guandolo, a former FBI agent and founder of a consulting group focused on the jihadi movement, strongly took issue with those raising concerns about an upcoming law enforcement seminar that his Understand the Threat organization will host in Alexandria. Billed as “understanding and investigating the jihad movement,” the three-day program, scheduled March 7-9 at the Bentley Hotel, is sponsored by the Rapides Parish district attorney’s office.
The event received little public attention until Wednesday (March 1) when the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala., took to social media to protest the seminar and Guandolo, a former counter-terrorism specialist who resigned from the FBI in 2008. Among other stains on his record: While working on the federal investigation of U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, Guandolo was having an affair with a key witness against the congressman.
The posts, asserting that Guandolo “often” targets and vilifies mainstream Muslim leaders in his presentations, were quickly — and widely — shared and debated. Heidi Beirich, the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project director, said Guandolo “is a known Islamophobe, and his misinformation adds fuel to the hateful environment targeting Muslim community members.”
Guandolo, who did not respond to an earlier interview request, sent a statement to The Times-Picayune following the publication of an earlier story.
“The Southern Poverty Law Center is giving direct aid and comfort to Hamas which is a terrorist organization,” Guandolo, founder of Understanding the Threat, wrote in his emailed response. “The leader of the SPLC is aware the Council on American Islamic relations [sic] (CAIR) is a Hamas organization because he sat next to (Understanding the Truth Vice President) Chris Gaubatz at a Senate hearing where (he) spoke about it.”(Gaubatz) spent six months undercover (at CAIR) where he retrieved over 12,000 documents indicating (CAIR) is directly involved in fraud, sedition and terrorism. So we can only assume SPLC is intentionally supporting a terrorist organization in violation of U.S. law.”…
. . . . . . .EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this story called Understanding the Threat anti-Islamic; that is an allegation made by the Southern Poverty Law Center against Guandolo….
Somebody says
Goodmorning after supper…
Islam the religion of killers says
” six months undercover (at CAIR) where he retrieved over 12,000 documents indicating (CAIR) is directly involved in fraud, sedition and terrorism.”
So why haven’t the FBI filed charges ??
Why are CAIR still operating ??
Incompetence or political ….. or both ??
gravenimage says
Good questions.
mortimer says
If Agent Guandolo got the goods on CAIR, will Pres. Trump now ask the FBI to act on the information and lock them up?
Patty says
I hope now that Trumps in they will, no stone politicians
Fromafar says
And they work with the Muslim Brotherhood whom Obama embraced….
Jeanette says
Or money (perhaps Saudi money) has changed hands at a high level?
JawsV says
Muslim Ban should have been implemented after 9/11. Why do we let these cair trolls operate?
gravenimage says
George W Bush did in fact suggest something very similar to the Trump motion–barring those from terrorist-sponsoring states. He got a lot of flak, and foolishly backed down almost immediately.
Angemon says
I expect to see more of this. The media have backed down regarding Trump – for example, their coverage of his speech to Congress was quasi-passable. I think they know the way the wind is blowing and that they’re growing obsolete in the digital age – it’s hard to stay relevant – or in business, for that matter – when they’re regarded as dishonest and “an enemy of the people”.
somehistory says
“…Beirich, the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project director…”
Intelligence at the splc would be a novelty for them. And is much needed.
gravenimage says
“The leader of the SPLC is aware the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a Hamas organization”
………………………….
Utterly appalling if this is the case. Not that there is any excuse for ignorance, but knowing and *not caring* is far worse.
Matthieu Baudin says
Perhaps some cracks are opening up within sections of the mainstream media and allowing some light to filter through. There must be quite a few people who are positioning themselves to keep their jobs, just in case the winds of change brought about (largely) by the change in the U.S. Presidency remain steady in the years ahead.
Eric Jones says
John Guandolo is a good source. Glazof Gang should have him on.
Eric
Linnte says
John Guandolo has a YouTube channel and he really could use some subscribers! He is an amazing man, and knowledgeable. Please subscribe and share his videos. You can also sign up for his news letters. Go to – Understanding The Threat YouTube. Or UTT.
Thanks Mr. Spencer for posting this.
underbed cat says
John Guandolo is an expert on the MB, and explains the purpose of the creation of the support organizations to accomplish the the protection and image of a widely unknown doctrine and supporting legal laws that aid in darwah. The organizations are in all states as mosques, learning centers,legal assistance and planning centers to aid in growth of migration and quietly settle to dominate.
Knowledge is important…..fantasy never protects.