Nancy Pelosi: Investigate Funding of Ground Zero Mosque Opponents
Categories: Politics
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| Nancy Pelosi says: Show me the money! |
Her vanilla answer about whether the mosque should be built (let New Yorkers decide on "a New York zoning issue") was overshadowed when she told KCBS she supports a probe into where the funding is coming from to make this into a nationwide campaign issue.
Pelosi sounded a bit testy at yesterday's gala handing over Treasure Island from the Navy to the city of San Francisco -- and implied that questions about the mosque instead of Treasure Island were the result of a well-funded effort to spin the so-called "Ground Zero mosque" into a wedge issue.
"There is no question that there is a concerted effort to make this into a political issue by some, and I join those who have called for looking into how is this opposition for a mosque is being funded," she said. "How is this being ginned up that here we are talking about Treasure Island, something we've been working on for decades, something of great interest to our community ... and two of the first three questions are about a zoning issue in New York City."
SF Weekly placed a call to Pelosi's office, querying who, exactly, the speaker believes should be tasked with leading this investigation -- and where that body should focus its efforts. An answer is, potentially, forthcoming.
Update, 9:35 a.m.: Pelosi's press secretary, Drew Hammill, emphasized to SF Weekly that Pelosi didn't use the terms "probe" or "investigation," but "looking into." He also sent us this statement:
"The freedom of religion is a Constitutional right. Where a place of worship is located is a local decision.
I support the statement made by the Interfaith Alliance that 'We agree with the ADL that there is a need for transparency about who is funding the effort to build this Islamic center. At the same time, we should also ask who is funding the attacks against the construction of the center.'
For all of those expressing concern about the 9/11 families, we call upon them to join us in support of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act when Congress returns in September."
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