McCain: 'Sinister' attacks on Clinton aide Huma Abedin must stop

Source: LA Times

WASHINGTON -- Republican Sen. John McCain came to an unusual and impassioned defense of a Huma Abedin, a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, saying the “sinister accusations” by congressional conservatives about her alleged connection to the Muslim Brotherhood must end.

The attacks have been led by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), the chairman of the tea party caucus in the House, and four other conservative lawmakers, who have asked federal officials to investigate whether Abedin, a Muslim-American who is deputy chief of staff at the State Department, is using her influence on U.S. policy toward the Islamic group. The lawmakers cite a report showing that Abedin’s relatives, including her deceased father, have alleged connections to the Muslim Brotherhood.

“These attacks on Huma have no logic, no basis, and no merit. And they need to stop now,” said McCain, the GOP’s former presidential nominee and its top voice on defense policy. “I have every confidence in Huma’s loyalty to our country, and everyone else should as well. All Americans owe Huma a debt of gratitude for her many years of superior public service. I hope these ugly and unfortunate attacks on her can be immediately brought to an end and put behind us before any further damage is done to a woman, an American, of genuine patriotism and love of country.”

McCain acknowledged the unusual nature of his decision to come to the Senate floor to speak about a particular individual. But he said he was compelled to do so to protect her character and reputation in the face of attacks being made “without concern for fact or fairness.”



Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-mccain-sinister-attacks-on-clinton-aide-huma-abedin-must-stop-20120718,0,2521198.story

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Anderson Cooper Debunks Michele Bachmann Claims Of 'Muslim Extremist' Infiltration Of US Government (VIDEO)

Anderson Cooper lit into Michele Bachmann on his Tuesday show for spreading rumors about the supposed infiltration by "Muslim extremists" into the U.S. government.

Bachmann, along with four other Republicans in the House of Representatives, has called for investigations into whether or not the government has been infiltrated by Islamic fundamentalists, and has specifically pointed a finger at Huma Abedin, a longtime aide to Hillary Clinton.

Cooper, in understated fashion, said that the evidence was "questionable at best." He spent most of his time debunking the claims about Abedin.

"Now you would think to make a charge like that -- for sitting members of Congress to make a charge like that, that they would have some actual evidence, right?" he said. "You would think that. But the truth is they don't have any direct evidence."

more; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/18/anderson-cooper-michele-bachmann-huma-abedin-muslims_n_1682281.html?utm_hp_ref=media