Week Ending August 31, 2007 - Washington, DC
August 31, 2007 4:47PM EST

August 31, 2007

Week Ending August 31, 2007 - Washington, DC NEW: The August 28, 2007 issue of the Chairman's Report is now available online. New and expanded material about the House and Senate as well as persecuted Iraqi Christians. Click here to read PRESIDENT JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND THE ISLAMIC SOCIETY - The Bush Administration's Justice Department is going to participate in a convention to be held by the Islamic Society of North America. I find this very strange in that this organization is an unindicted co- conspirator in an ongoing terror financing case. The Justice Department says it is participating "...as part of its outreach and education efforts." The Justice Department is actually one of the paying sponsors of the convention. Click here for an expose article by a good friend of mine, Debrorah Weiss THE HOUSE RECESS - The House is in summer recess until September 4, 2007 THE SENATE RECESS- The Senate is in summer recess until September 4, 2007 PARIS HILTON SYNDROME SPREADS - The Paris Hilton Syndrome has spread to the Senate. Last week I mentioned a Democrat congressman who pushed around an airline employee at Dulles Airport because his luggage was late. This week we learned that "pro-family" Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) went into a bathroom stall and then made sexual advances toward an undercover cop in the next stall. Rather than get an attorney he pled guilty to a lesser charge of lewd conduct. Senator Craig defended his actions during a news conference saying he pled guilty for convenience. There was an amazing air of entitlement around him as he seemed not to understand his critics at all. In 1994 this whole air of entitlement was kicked out with the "Republican Revolution." Elevator "operators" in self service elevators were eliminated and ice was no longer placed in urinals at the Capitol. Over the last ten or twelve years the entitlement attitude has filtered back in with devastating results for the American people. It turns out lots of people knew about Senator Craig's sexual preferences from the time he was a congressman. There was even a quiet investigation surrounding the House pages. Everyone kept quiet. These kinds of actions hurt all of us and they particularly hurt those of us who work to have Congress pass family friendly pro-life legislation. The news discourages people from signing petitions and from giving funds to the organizations that work on Capitol Hill. All the way around it is bad news for everyone except the liberals. SENATOR JOHN WARNER TO LEAVE - Virginia Republican Senator John Warner, who is 80 years old, announced today he will not seek reelection. This creates a huge problem for the GOP in Virginia where moderate Democrats who are members of the NRA are tending to get elected to statewide office more often. The GOP's best hope is probably Congressman Eric Cantor who is the Republican Whip. Senator Warner will not be missed by social conservatives. RELIGION AND CULTURE HUCKABEE MEETS WITH US - I have met Mike Huckabee on numerous occasions, the last time being on a casual evening at a home here in Virginia on Sunday, August 26th, just a few days ago. During our conversation we covered many areas including "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and numerous other social issues. Mike Huckabee, unlike Rudy Giuliani, is pro-life and against homosexual marriage. Huckabee's views on these and other social issues are shared by the majority of social conservatives. Click on image for larger photo. GAY MARRIAGE IN IOWA? - Of all places in the United States, a county judge in Iowa struck down the state's decade-old gay marriage ban as unconstitutional and ordered local officials to process marriage licenses for homosexuals. House Minority Leader Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, said the ruling demonstrates the need for a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. "I can't believe this is happening in Iowa," he said. "I guarantee you there will be a vote on this issue." The ruling is under appeal to a higher court. BURNING BOOKS FOR ISLAM - A British publisher has ordered the burning of Alms For Jihad by two American authors, J. Millard Burr and Robert O. Collins. The book, which uses public information to detail funding of Islamic terror through charitable organizations, was published last year by Cambridge Press. The publisher agreed not to sell the book and burn all copies because of a complaint by a wealthy Saudi Sheik who is barely mentioned in the book. Click here for in depth story. INTERNATIONAL IRAQI CHRISTIAN REFUGEE UPDATE - In these updates as well as in letters to supporters of the Religous Freedom Coaltion I have requested funds for our fact finding mission to Jordan in October to visit Christian refugees from Iraq. I have been surprised by the number of people who have writtten to me asking why we are buying airline tickets for those who we have invited on the mission, particularly former congressmen and Senators. This is the answer: The sponsoring organization pays for the mission. When I am invited on a fact finding mission by another organization my travel and lodging are paid for. When this organization sponsors a mission we pay the espenses for those we invite. We cannot invite VIP's on a mission to witness what we want them to see and then tell them they have to pay for the trip we have asked them to take. High profile witnesses to the facts help us create positive change. Please click here to help with this mission. SUPPORT THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM COALITION THE PLEDGE - My new book, The Pledge: One Nation Under God has been released and is now available online and at bookstores. The book has a forward by Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO) who is the primary sponsor of the Pledge Protection Act to keep "under God" in the Pledge. Please order The Pledge from the RFC bookstore, as the funds will be used to help fight to keep "under God" in the Pledge. Click here or on Image to learn more. CHRISTIAN INTERNET STORE - There are literally tens of thousands of Christian theme items available at our affiliate store including jewelry from the Holy Land. It is a great place to shop for gifts. The store is located at www.rfcstore.com. Please help us with our various projects on Capitol Hill and in the Holy Land by shopping at our affiliate Christian Superstore . Contributions to the work of the Religious Freedom Coalition can be made at www.rfcnet.org. email: support@rfcnet.org phone: 202.742.8990 web: http://www.rfcnet.org William J. Murray, Chairman Religious Freedom Coalition, PO Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013 - (202) 742.8990 This publication is a service of the Religious Freedom Coalition (RFC). Links to political and other sites are for informational purposes and do not constitute endorsement. No statement is intended to assist or defeat any candidate running for public office. Religious Freedom Coalition * Copyright - 2007