THE OKLAHOMAN: Oklahoma congressional candidate Kevin Calvey says he will not accept money from a state Islamic group. Group's director said he made the personal donation in hopes of starting a dialogue with Calvey.
A congressional candidate has refused a campaign donation from the executive director of an Islamic-American association, saying the group has ties to terrorist groups.
Kevin Calvey, a candidate for the 5th Congressional District seat, said Wednesday he refused a $25 online donation from Razi Hashim, the executive director of the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR.
Hashim said his donation was a personal contribution and not meant to be affiliated with the nonprofit group that employs him.
"I thought on a personal level, we could talk as two men, as people of God,” Hashim said. "Jesus said to love your neighbor; we have similar teachings in Islam as well.”
Calvey has been vocal in his opposition of the council nationally, pointing to the 2007 case against the Holy Land Foundation in which 307 people and the council were listed as "unindicted co-conspirators.”
In 2008, a jury found members of the foundation guilty of funneling money to the militant group Hamas. One of the men found guilty was a member of the Texas branch of the council.
"That's not my opinion, that is a fact,” said Calvey, an attorney who was deployed to Iraq as a member of the National Guard. "That's what our own government says about CAIR.”
Hashim said Calvey has a history of bashing Muslims. >>> Julie Bisbee | Thursday, July 15, 2010
HT: Jihad Watch >>>
Kevin Calvey >>>
