GOP Rookies Back Islam Hearings

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Republican House leaders might be quietly divided in their strategy for dealing with Rep. Pete King's controversial hearings on the radicalization of the American Muslim community, but one group seems squarely behind them--the GOP freshmen on the committee.

Freshmen Republicans make up 11 of the seats on the majority side of the Committee on Homeland Security, compared to only seven upper-class counterparts, not including King, and by most accounts, they'll fill the dais tomorrow in what promises to be a closely watched hearing.

"I'm looking forward to the homeland security hearing this week, and there are few people in Congress who understand the dangerous impact of radical Islam like Pete King," said Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Michigan) who returned to Congress this year after serving from 2007-2009.

"Islamic radicalization is a problem for all of us, Muslims and non-Muslims alike," Walberg said. "We've all seen how it has impacted our national security, and it has been detrimental to mainstream Muslims who've been unfairly characterized because of the radicalization of a few. So we all must take a stand against these destructive beliefs that threatens our national security and work to make our homeland more secure."

For some freshman members, the centrality of the controversy this week could come as a surprise. Other than a few members, including veteran Rep. Allen West, terrorism took a backseat during the campaign season to concern over budget and deficit issues.

That doesn't mean the rookies aren't energized over it.

"After these hearings America will be less safe than it was today. The hearings will give fuel to those people who look to push the ideology that America hates Muslims and Islam," says Rep. Cedric Richmond, a Democrat on the committee who defeated Joseph Cao in Louisiana last year. "By having a hearing that is only directly targeting Muslims and Islam I think you give them some argument that they can go out--whether it's right or wrong--you give them arguments that they can go out and tell the people listening to them that we're picking this fight with them or we're at war with them. That itself makes America less safe, no matter what we do."

Michigan Rep. Hansen Clarke, another of the three new Democrats on the committee, will also attend. Clarke signed onto a letter with other Democrats on the committee urging King to cancel the hearing altogether, arguing that the inquiry was "incomplete and unduly divisive" and might "have the unintended consequences of breeding alienation and fostering feelings of resentment."

Only one Republican, Missouri Rep. Billy Long, is not scheduled to attend. His office says he has a constituent meeting planned. Another, Texas Rep. Blake Farenthold, will run back and forth between the hearing and another for the Oversight and Government Reform committee.

Other rookie Republicans are defending the hearings against controversy that they unfairly target one minority group by arguing that the notion that extremists have targeted young people in the American Muslim community is, in fact, uncontroversial.

"We are living in changed paradigm," says Rep. Pat Meehan, who spent 10 years as a federal prosecutor in Pennsylvania.

Meehan argues that increased homeland security has made it more difficult for foreign born terrorists to enter the United States. "Their changing paradigm is to radicalize our community to act on their behalf," says Meehan, noting that he's met with Muslims in his community.

"They are wonderful partners in this effort and have been. My interest is not to demonize, but to ask them how we can better partner in understanding how someone from the community can become the target of radicalization, answer the call and then act to carry out some damage against American society," he said.

Rep. Scott Rigell, a Republican, said he understood how the hearings could be misinterpreted.

"It's an issue that can easily be misused if someone wants to leverage it in an inappropriate way. I think it needs to be done with careful thought and consideration because if we are asking one faith group to come before us and not others think that does merit careful attention," said Rigell, who plans to attend. "I think once it's completed some of the fears and the rhetoric that's hyped it up a bit will calm down."

Other members seemed less concerned about the controversy.

"I'm looking forward to using this series of hearings to start a public conversation about the impact of Islamic extremism at home and abroad," said Jeff Duncan, a South Carolina Republican freshman on the committee.

"It's kind of not the politically correct thing to do, to associate violence with a religion," said Rep. Blake Farenthold, of why he thought the hearings were ginning up controversy. "But the facts are holding out that this is a disturbing trend within the Muslim religion. We can't just bury our heads in the sand and ignore it, because it does go against our traditional American sensibilities and beliefs in the freedom of religion. You cross the line when you start shooting people and blowing things up.

"I just want to hear the facts and know what's going on," Farenthold added, "So I can make an intelligent decision."

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