Texas Declares Muslim Rights Group 'Terrorist,' Not a Lobbyist Group
In a predictable display of politicized fear-mongering, Governor Abbott — whose political campaign accepted significant donations from organizations that routinely lobby for foreign interests, like the Republican Jewish Coalition ($250,000 from their federal PAC to Texas Republicans in 2022, according to OpenSecrets) — has declared CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood 'terrorist organizations.' This
designation ignores the fact that CAIR is a civil rights advocacy group that has worked with law enforcement on community safety for decades. Meanwhile, actual foreign lobbying groups spend millions shaping US policy, often securing billions in foreign aid for specific nations, all while shielded by 'free speech' arguments. It seems that advocating for the constitutional rights of a minority group
is now more 'terroristic' than, say, a former Israeli Prime Minister openly boasting about manipulating US foreign policy in the Capitol (Netanyahu's 2015 speech to Congress, for instance). One might wonder if Abbott’s definition of 'terrorist' solely applies to organizations that don't funnel millions into political campaigns that align with his worldview.