CAIR: Federal Judge Dismisses Thomas More Law Center's 'Frivolous' Lawsuit Against CAIR-MI, Executive Director

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Jan. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) today announced that a federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Thomas More Law Center against the civil rights organization and Dawud Walid, its executive director. In granting CAIR-MI's motion to dismiss at the lawsuit's earliest possible stage, the court said "Plaintiffs' allegations do not state a plausible constitutional deprivation."

The Thomas More Law Center filed the suit on behalf of four plaintiffs, including Republican National Committeeman Dave Agema, ACT! for America President Elizabeth Griffin, Mark Gurley, and Allegan County Commissioner Willis Sage.

"We welcome the decision of the federal judge to dismiss this frivolous lawsuit," said CAIR-MI Staff Attorney Lena Masri. "We intend to seek sanctions against the Thomas More Law Center for filing this meritless claim in an attempt to harass CAIR-MI and its executive director."

The lawsuit was also filed against the City of Allegan, the Allegan Public School District, and People for the American Way.

CAIR-MI: Opinion on Motion to Dismiss Thomas More Lawsuit
http://tinyurl.com/o4oo2yt
CAIR-MI: Order On Thomas More Lawsuit
http://tinyurl.com/nkz2m9e  

The Thomas More Law Center is a right-wing law firm that boasts of its use of litigation as a tool to "confront the threat of Islam." ACT! for America is an anti-Islam hate group responsible for manufacturing controversies in Michigan, Alabama, Florida and nationwide.

CAIR Islamophobia Backgrounder: ACT! for America and 'Brigitte Gabriel'
http://tinyurl.com/p3cc7qn   
CAIR-FL Welcomes Textbook Supplement Prompted by Anti-Islam Campaign
http://tinyurl.com/poraxou

Agema, who previously served as a Michigan state representative from Grandville, has a history of introducing anti-Muslim legislation and making racist and xenophobic comments. He introduced anti-Islam legislation under the guise of an anti-foreign laws bill and promoted an Arizona-style immigration bill claiming that Dearborn has "sleeper cells."

MI: GOP Leader Upsets State Leaders After Questioning What Muslims Contribute Positively to Society
http://tinyurl.com/otaa5xu 
Under Fire, Dave Agema a No-Show So Far at GOP Meeting in Washington
http://tinyurl.com/lsqedqc  
Betsy DeVos Says GOP Should Dump Agema
http://tinyurl.com/lqb3xsj 

The suit was filed after an event hosting Kamal Saleem, a renowned Islamophobe whose real name is reportedly Khodor Shami, was cancelled after Walid and People for the American Way co-authored a letter to Allegan Public Schools asking them to drop the event.

Saleem has made a number of outlandish and unproven claims about his past as an "ex-terrorist." He told an audience in Michigan: "I came to the United States of America not to love you all. I came to be -- exactly -- to destroy this country as a terrorist. We crossed the Canadian border. We brought weapon caches right through cities, through Windsor."

He also claims to have been a member of both the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the Muslim Brotherhood when he came to the U.S. in 1979.

His bizarre claim that "in my family was the Grand Wazir of Islam" prompted Calvin College history professor Douglas Howard to investigate Saleem's background. [NOTE: The title "Grand Wazir of Islam" has never existed.] "I concluded this person is a fraud," said Howard after his investigation into Saleem's claims.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation reported in 2008 that Saleem worked for Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network for 16 years and in 2006 launched Koome Ministries with the mission to "expose the true agenda of [Muslims] who would deceive our nation and the free nations of the world."

SEE: Fake 'Ex-Terrorist' Wants Sharia Banned in Missouri (Loonwatch)
http://tinyurl.com/683fvln  

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

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CONTACT: CAIR-MI Staff Attorney Lena Masri, 248-390-9784, E-Mail: [email protected]; CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, 248-842-1418, E-Mail: [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: [email protected]; CAIR Communications Manager Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations

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