Raising uncertainties following November’s presidential
election, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), currently vying for the Democratic
Party leadership, has a previous record of connections in the Middle East,
specifically with stakeholders in the state of Qatar.
The progressive congressman, also known as Keith Hakim
or Keith Ellison Muhammad, has ties to the Middle East dating back to
at least 2009, when he flew to Qatar over President’s Day weekend to give a
speech at Qatar University in the capital city of Doha, located on the Persian
Gulf.
“Following 9/11, there has been an emergence of Muslim civil
rights organizations,” Ellison said during the Feb. 15, 2009 address at
Qatar University’s College of Sharia and Islamic Studies. “The political
picture is bright, not perfect, but we are ready to expand the dialogue and
work to resolving the miscomprehensions that exist in our society and between
the U.S. and the Islamic world.”
Ellison, who was the first Muslim elected to U.S. Congress
and who is trying to become the new chair of the Democratic National Committee,
noted at the time that President Obama’s approach to Muslims was unprecedented.
“This is the first time a U.S. president has reached out in
this way,” said Ellison, citing Obama’s decision to close Guantanamo Bay, end
the war in Iraq and stop using torture. “President Obama’s granting his first
international interview to Al-Arabiya was a significant move which showed his
commitment to his pledge. He was talking straight to Muslims all over the
world.”
Born in Detroit in 1963, the congressman has represented
Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District since 2007.
