After the recent elections, Republicans claim they had a mandate to govern efficiently and without waste. I guess they don’t count wastes of time. After wasting most of yesterday and today debating a health care repeal bill they know the president will veto, some representatives are now turning their attention to the threat of Sharia law. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-TX, told a radio show host today that he hoped congress would hold hearings on the Sharia threat. Think Progress has more.
This is not idle banter. As chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, Gohmert has the power to hold such hearings. Rep. Allen West (R-FL), who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, has also said that the 112th Congress should prioritize the threat of “infiltration of the Sharia practice” in the United States. Between King, Gohmert, and West, three separate House committees could decide to spend valuable congressional time combating a phantom threat. Unfortunately, this Muslim scapegoating will do nothing to make America a more free, secure, or just society.