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Keith Maurice Ellison (born August 4, 1963), is an American lawyer and politician, who became the first Muslim to be elected to the United States Congress when he won the vacant seat for Minnesota's 5th congressional district in the House of Representatives, one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota. He is also the first African American elected to the House from Minnesota.

Life

Keith Ellison was raised in Detroit, Michigan with four brothers by their father, a psychiatrist, and mother, a social worker. Ellison was influenced by the involvement of his family in the civil rights movement, including the work of his grandfather as a member of the NAACP in Louisiana. He graduated from the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy in 1981. After graduating from with a B.A. in Economics from Wayne State University, in 1987 he married Kim Ellison and moved to Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota Law School from which he graduated in 1990 with a J.D. in Law. As of 2006, the couple has four children.

After graduating from law school, Ellison joined the firm of Lindquist & Vennum where he was a litigator for three years. He then served as Executive Director of the Legal Rights Center, a nonprofit organization that specialized in the defense of indigent clients. In 2002, Ellison was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives for House District 58B, a blue collar Minneapolis neighborhood, made up of 76 percent minorities. While working as a private criminal defense attorney, Ellison was known for missing court appearances during the state legislative session.

Ellison was raised a Roman Catholic and converted to Islam at 19 while attending Wayne State University in Detroit. His involvement with the Nation of Islam (see below) was a point of controversy during his 2006 campaign. Ellison generally downplayed his religious affiliation during the general election, but during his victory speech, Ellison said, "God is good, y'all" and some supporters responded "Allahu Akbar" (Arabic for "God is great").. Since winning the congressional race, Ellison has been active in advocacy for Islamic causes on a national level, addressing a fundraising banquet for the Council on American Islamic Relations, and attending a conference of the North American Imams Federation in late November 2006.

Controversies

Nation of Islam and support for Farrakhan

Questions about Ellison's involvement with the Nation of Islam arose during his 2006 campaign. After winning the Democratic party nomination in May, he wrote a letter to the local Jewish Community Relations Council where he reportedly "asserted that his involvement with the Nation of Islam had been limited to an 18-month period around the time of the Million Man March in 1995, that he had been unfamiliar with the Nation of Islam's anti-Semitic views during his involvement with the group, and that he himself had never expressed such views." In this letter, Ellison denounced the Nation of Islam and Farrakhan, writing "I wrongly dismissed concerns that they were anti-Semitic. They were and are anti-Semitic and I should have come to that conclusion earlier than I did." He explained his previous views, saying that he, "did not adequately scrutinize the positions and statements of the Nation of Islam, Lous Farrakhan, and Khalid Muhammed". He also stated that "any kind of discrimination and hate are wrong. This has always been my position"

The Pioneer Press, however, stated that, "the assertion of an 18-month affiliation does not entirely sum up his relationship with the organization."

• While a law student in 1989 and 1990, Ellison wrote several columns as Keith E. Hakim in the student newspaper, the Minnesota Daily. "The first article defended Louis Farrakhan against accusations of antisemitism," and "defends Nation of Islam spokesman Khalid Abdul Muhammad, and speaks in the voice of a Nation of Islam advocate.". The second column "called affirmative action a 'sneaky' form of compensation for slavery, suggesting instead that white Americans pay reparations to blacks," and the third suggested the creation of a separate state for black residents.
• In 1995, Ellison, writing an editorial as Keith X. Ellison, stated that Farrakhan is not an anti-Semite.
• In 1995 Ellison was identified as a member of the Nation of Islam in the Star Tribune..
• In 1997, when Joanne Jackson, executive director of the Minneapolis Initiative Against Racism (MIAR), allegedly said that, "Jews are among the most racist white people", Ellison, using his religious name Mohammed, read a statement supporting her on behalf of the The Minneapolis-St. Paul Study Group of the Nations of Islam: " stand by Ms. Jackson. We stand by the truth contained in the remarks attributed to her, and by her right to express her view without sanction. Here is why we support Ms. Jackson: She is correct about Minister Farrakhan. He is not a racist. He is also not an anti-Semite. This widespread and unfair practice of whites sanctioning Blacks for not denouncing Minister Farrakhan represents a racist double standard, and is an impediment to any honest dialogue about race. If Black people are to ever possess a collective sense of self-respect and self-determination, they must not genuflect whenever powerful whites make the unreasonable demand to denounce Minister Farrakhan. Minister Farrakhan said he did not like the tension between the Black and Jewish communities, and that he was open to dialoge with any groups as long as they did not set any conditions." Ellison later claimed "While some at that meeting justified her comments, I spoke out in favor of increased dialogue between the Jewish and African-American communities."
• In 1998, during his Minnesota State Legislature House campaign, as Keith Ellison-Muhammad he said he had an affiliation with the Nation of Islam, but "rejected anti-Jewish attitudes"..
• In 2006, he stated that his association with the Nation of Islam was limited to 18 months in the mid-1990s. He also also stated that he was never a member of the Nation of Islam, but only worked with it to organize the Minnesota contingent to the Million Man March.

Despite his work with the Nation of Islam, Ellison has been backed by the publisher of The American Jewish World, a local Twin Cites newspaper.

CAIR support

Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), flew to Minneapolis for an Aug. 25 fundraiser for Ellison. Republican opponent Alan Fine criticized Ellison for accepting campaign contributions from CAIR leaders. Ellison accepted thousands of dollars from Nihad Awad and other leaders of CAIR, which Fine calls "a group that Democrats say has deep ties to terrorism". The Fine campaign quotes Sens. Charles Schumer, D-NY, and Dick Durbin, D-Ill. alleging CAIR's "ties to terrorism" and "its association with groups that are suspect.". Many conservatives and Jewish groups say CAIR is rooted in the Hamas movement and that its leaders also secretly support Hezbollah in Lebanon. Ellison in the past has called Awad an acquaintance. Republicans began this line of attack shortly after the primary.

CAIR leaders Parvez Ahmed and Nihad Awad wrote "We are proud of our personal donations to Ellison's campaign" and derided any 'guilt by association' arguments. For the first time as a paid advertisement, CAIR began showing their "Not in the Name of Islam" video in Minnesota. Communications Director of CAIR-Florida Ahmed Bedier is coordinating the ad campaign. Independence Party candidate Tammy Lee has also accused CAIR of having secret ties to Hamas.

Ellison traveled to Florida in October 2006 on a fundraising tour that "included a party hosted by Altaf Ali, CAIR's state director there". The party had a suggested donation of $100.

Two days after the election, CAIR announced Ellison as a keynote speaker at CAIR's annual banquet in Virginia less than two weeks later. According to a CAIR press release, this would be Ellison's first major post-election address.

According to a Nov. 13, 2006 story by the Star Tribune, Ellison said he “would not be the keynote speaker at the annual banquet for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)”. Acknowledging that “His appearance had already been announced by CAIR…Ellison said it was the result of a ‘natural, normal miscommunication.’” Though Ellison was not able to attend the event in person he sent a videotaped message, which can be viewed at this link Keith Ellison's address.

Driver's license suspension

Early in Ellison's campaign, his driver's license was suspended for failure to pay multiple tickets and fines. When asked how many times his license has been suspended, he said, "I don't know how many prior suspensions I've had; I don't keep count."

Late payment of taxes

Ellison also failed to pay all or part of his income taxes five separate years between 1992 and 2000, forcing the state and IRS to put liens on his home. He later paid in excess of $18,000.

Campaign finance violations

Campaign finance has also been an issue for Ellison. In early 2006, the Minnesota State Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board reprimanded Ellison for unreported contributions, discrepancies in cash balances, and misclassified disbursements. These transgressions occurred in the years 2002-2004. In 2005 when the board tried to get more information about the problems in Ellison's reports, they got no response from Ellison or his treasurer (his wife Kim). When the board heard nothing, they opened the investigation. Ellison was subpoenaed and fined. The board has also fined Ellison numerous times for late filings. According to Katherine Kersten writing in the Star Tribune, he has been sued twice by the attorney general and has been warned numerous times for absent or incomplete disclosure.

2006 Congressional election

The House seat was previously held by the retiring Martin Olav Sabo, and is one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota. When Ellison takes his place in the House, his seat on the Minnesota House of Representatives for District 58B of Minneapolis (which he served for two terms) will be filled by Augustine Willie Dominguez, a Latino community activist and fellow member of the DFL.

Ellison received the DFL endorsement at the district party convention, among a crowd of candidates. He faced a primary contest against three other prominent Democrats: former state senator Ember Reichgott Junge, Minneapolis city council member Paul Ostrow, and Sabo's chief of staff Mike Erlandson, whom Sabo had endorsed. He won the primary on September 12, 2006 with 41% of the vote.

In the November 2006 election, Ellison faced Republican Alan Fine, the Green Party's Jay Pond, and Tammy Lee of the Independence Party.

During the 2006 primary run, departing Representative Sabo had endorsed and donated money to the campaign of his longtime chief of staff, Mike Erlandson. When Ellison won the primary and his campaign manager contacted him, Sabo said that he “wouldn't be supporting anyone in the race”. Sabo donated funds to the general election campaigns of many Minnesota Democrats, including Coleen Rowley, Patty Wetterling, Tim Walz, and Amy Klobuchar, but none to Ellison. Sabo made several appearances with Independence candidate Tammy Lee, without publicly endorsing anybody. Some Democrats were disappointed in Sabo’s silence on their chosen candidate.

The Minneapolis-based 5th has long been considered safe for the DFL, which has held it since 1963. Ellison won the seat with 56% of the vote. Ellison is only the fourth person to represent the district since 1943.

Al Qaeda

On November 14, 2006, a monitor of Jihadists' websites linked to Al Qaeda reported "terrorists don't think much of Keith Ellison. One called him the first Jewish Muslim in Congress. His election was called a 'comedy,' and labeled Ellison 'a fool trying to deceive us.' The Al Hesbah website said, Ellison is 'one of them, a one way ticket to Hell.'" Ellison's staff said of the news "'Why would Al Qaeda embrace Keith's success? He's the opposite of what they're about.'"

Ellison has said "Osama bin Laden no more represents his religion than Timothy McVeigh represented Christianity." (McVeigh had links to the Christian Identity commune in Elohim City, Oklahoma)

Glenn Beck interview

Also on November 14, 2006, Ellison was a guest on the Glenn Beck show, on CNN Headline News. During the course of the interview, Beck asked Ellison "Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies" and further said "And I know you're not. I'm not accusing you of being an enemy, but that's the way I feel, and I think a lot of Americans will feel that way."

Ellison replied: "Let me tell you, the people in the Fifth Congressional District know that I have a deep love and affection for my country. There's no one who's more patriotic than I am, and so you know, I don't need to -- need to prove my patriotic stripes."

Electoral history

• 2006 Race for U.S. House of Representatives - Minnesota 5th District
  • Keith Ellison (DFL), 56%
  • Alan Fine (R), 21%
  • Tammy Lee (I), 21%
  • Jay Pond (G), 2%

• 2006 Race for U.S. House of Representatives - Minnesota 5th District (Democratic Primary)
  • Keith Ellison (DFL), 41%
  • Mike Erlandson (DFL), 31%
  • Ember Reichgott Junge (DFL), 21%
  • Paul Ostrow (DFL), 5%

• 2004 Race for Minnesota House of Representatives - District 58B
  • Keith Ellison (DFL) (inc.), 84%
  • Jay Cyril Mastrud (R), 15%

• 2002 Race for Minnesota House of Representatives - District 58B
  • Keith Ellison (DFL), 67%
  • Larissa Presho (R), 14%
  • Duane K. Reed (I), 8%
  • Bonnie Jean Smith (G), 6%

Sources

1. DAWN (Newspaper)
2. ^ Robson, Britt (2006-08-30). "Running Man". City Pages. Retrieved 2006-11-10.
3. MacFarquhar, Neil (2006-10-11). "Muslim's Election Is Celebrated Here and in Mideast". New York Times. Retrieved 2006-10-11.
4. ^ "Keith Ellison (DFL) 58B". Minnesota House of Representatives.Retrieved on Nov. 16, 2006
5. Condon, Patrick (2006-07-06). "Muslim seeks both House seat and a place in history". Associated Press. The Bay State Banner. Retrieved 2006-11-04. - "One column defended Farrakhan against charges of anti-Semitism; a second suggested the creation of a state for black residents. In 1995, Ellison helped organize a delegation to Farrakhan's Million Man March in Washington."
6. ^ Candidate finds past ties a real bind: Minnesotan hopes to be the 1st Muslim elected to Congress, but his campaign is hindered by now-renounced links to the Nation of Islam;Tim Jones, Tribune national correspondent; Chicago Tribune; Jun 30, 2006; pg. 7
7. ^ Ellison's Victory speech video
8. 6 Muslim Imams Removed From Plane
9. ^ Scott W. Johnson (2006-10-09). "Louis Farrakhan's First Congressman". The Weekly Standard. News America Incorporated. Retrieved 2006-11-13.
10. ^ "EllisonLetterp.1.php" (JPEG). Keith Ellison for dummies (also from info@keithellison.org, md5sum f702ac92891e518fdcc447360306e0af). Retrieved 2006-10-26.
11. ^ Kahn, Aron (2006-10-09). "Controversy gnaws at Ellison lead". Pioneer Press. MediaNews Group.
12. ^ Cooperman, Alan (2006-09-11). "Muslim Candidate Plays Defense". Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. p. A03. Retrieved 2006-09-11. - "Ellison acknowledged last week that his driver's license had been suspended earlier in the year for failure to pay fines. He said he defended a leader of the Vice Lords gang, Sharif Willis, because Willis was working with local police to broker a gang peace. And he said he was now up-to-date on tickets, taxes and financial filings."
15. Keith X Ellison (1995-11-06). "Editorial cartoon insulted our intelligence". Insight News. Graphic Services, Inc. p. 2. The cartoon in the 10/17/95 edition of the Star Tribune, in which two Black boys lamented that their only 'role models' were a 'wife-beater and an anti-semite,' O. J. Simpson and the Honorable Louis Farrakhan respectively, serves as yet another bit of evidence as to why the Star Tribune is known alternatively as the 'Johannesburg Times' and the 'most ridiculed newspaper' in America. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
16. "EllisonArticle3.php" (JPEG). Keith Ellison for dummies. Retrieved 2006-10-27.
17. "`Flamethrower' Muhammad's fiery speech stirs `U' crowd". Star Tribune. 1995-09-14.
18. "EllisonStatement34.php" (JPEG). Keith Ellison for dummies. Retrieved 2006-10-27.
19. Jim Parsons (1997-02-03). "Defections threaten anti-racism panel". Star Tribune. The Star Tribune Company. p. B1. The Minneapolis Initiative Against Racism (MIAR) may be in danger of splintering because of internal friction that has surfaced since the organization's executive director, Joanne Jackson, made controversial comments about Jews. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
20. "EllisonLetterp.2.php" (JPEG). Keith Ellison for dummies (also from info@keithellison.org, md5sum 183a0cafaa5bc4fc35f7b12a354e5302). Retrieved 2006-11-13.
21. D. Eric Marmon (1998). "Keith Ellison-Muhammad will run for house 58B seat". Insight News. Graphic Services, Inc. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
22. "Insight339.php" (JPEG). Keith Ellison for dummies. Retrieved 2006-10-27.
23. ^ Kersten, Katherine (2006-9-17). "The excuses keep on coming for Ellison's behavior". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2006-11-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
24. "Bombshell": American Jewish World endorses Ellison, Sep 01, 2006 -- 3:18 PM CDT, Paul Schmelzer, Minnesota Monitor
25. Rochelle, Olson (2006-10-11). "Lee posts photo with Sabo; Fine ad attacks Ellison". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2006-11-04. At the same time, Republican Alan Fine on Thursday pressed on with attacks against Ellison, sending a mailing to 100,000 voters criticizing Ellison for accepting campaign contributions from leaders of the Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR).
26. "Parvez Ahmed and Nihad Awad: Reject the political Muslim-bashing smears". Star Tribune. 2006-10-20. Retrieved 2006-11-04. There has been much sound and fury in certain circles about the American Muslim community's support for Keith Ellison and his campaign to represent Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District.
27. ^ Diaz, Kevin (2006-10-24). "Islamic TV ad decries terrorism". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2006-11-04. Alarmed by the furor surrounding Muslim Fifth Congressional District candidate Keith Ellison, a national Islamic group is targeting Minnesota with an "anti-terror TV ad" blitz disavowing ties between Islam and terrorism.
28. "Islamic organization to host Florida fundraiser for Ellison". Star Tribune. 2006-10-12. Altaf Ali, CAIR's executive director in Florida, and Saif Ishoof are listed as the hosts for an event with a suggested donation of $100. It is scheduled for Saturday and will be at the Southwest Focal Point Senior Center in Pembroke Pines, Fla. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
29. CAIR (2006-11-09). "First Muslim in Congress to Speak at CAIR Event in VA". Press release. Retrieved 2006-11-10. (WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/9/06) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced today that Keith Ellison, the first Muslim in Congress, will join other elected officials as a keynote speaker November 18th at the Washington-based civil rights group's 12th Annual Banquet in Arlington, Va.
30. Hotakainen, Rob (November 13, 2006). "Newcomers prepare for the 110th Congress". Star Tribune. Retrieved on Nov. 16, 2006
31. "First US Muslim Congressman, Keith Ellison, Addresses CAIR Banquet". CAIR, WASHINGTON, D.C. 11/21/06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)Retrieved on Nov. 21, 2006
32. http://kstp.dayport.com/viewer/viewerpage.php?Art_ID=168557 KSTP Report August 16th, 2006 (Microsoft ActiveX)
33. http://www.cfboard.state.mn.us/bdinfo/investigation/Ellison_Keith_022406.pdf Campaign Finance and Disclosure Board Findings of Fact
34. http://www.cfboard.state.mn.us/bdinfo/Con_Agr/Ellison_Keith_022406.pdf Campaign Finance and Disclosure Board Conciliation Agreement
35. http://www.cfbreport.state.mn.us/WebSearch_Servlet/processDirect.do?start=1&nr=25&i=global&q=Ellison%20AND%20board%20AND%20minutes Compilation of Board Minutes in which Ellison was fined
36. Lopez, Patricia (2006-07-15). "Late campaign reports were her doing, Ellison's wife says". Star Tribune. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
37. Smith, Dane (2006-07-08). "Late filings a pattern for Ellison". Star Tribune. p. 18. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
38. http://electionresults.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/11/08/5dist/ (Minnesota Public Radio)
39. http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20060912/ElecRslts.asp?M=CG&CD=05
40. "Why hasn't Sabo endorsed Ellison?". ABC affiliate KSTP Eyewitness News 5. 11/02/2006. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)Retrieved on Nov. 21, 2006
41. Rochelle Olson (October 31, 2006). "Fifth District: Tammy Lee endorsed by 12 local officials of various parties". Star Tribune.Retrieved on Nov. 21, 2006
42. Ellison breaks ground as Muslim, black by Aron Kahn, St. Paul Pioneer Press (Newspaper),Wed, Nov. 08, 2006
43. Minnesota Secretary of State UNOFFICIAL RESULTS GENERAL ELECTION - NOV. 7, 2006
44. Shelby, Don (Nov. 14, 2006). "In The Know: The Terrorists Hate Keith Ellison". CBS Broadcasting Inc. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)Retrieved on Nov. 16, 2006
45. Associated Press (November 11, 2006). "Keith Ellison first Muslim congressman". Spokesman Review.Retrieved on Nov. 16, 2006
46. Nichols, Nicole (2003). "Domestic Terrorism 101 - Timothy James McVeigh (The Boy Next Door)". Eye On Hate...seeking a kinder and gentler world. Citizens Against Hate. Retrieved 2006-11-17.

• Minister Farrakhan never claimed to be a 'Malcolm X' - Minnesota Daily opinion by Ellison
• Affirmative action does not make up for past injustice - Minnesota Daily opinion by Ellison
• - The HILL.
• Keith Ellison dogged by his past - Minnesota Public Radio profile
• Let's not forget Ellison's support of Nation of Islam - conservative opinion by a Minneapolis Star Tribune columnist.
• Ellison responds to parking ticket concerns - KSTP news.
• Late filings a pattern for Ellison - Minneapolis Star Tribune.

External links

• Keith Ellison for U.S. Congress
• Minnesota Public Radio profile
• Minnesota House of Representatives
• Profile: Keith Ellison (Star Tribune)
• Ellison wins Dem. primary (MN Daily)
• St. Paul Pioneer Press Article on 5th District Congressional Race
• Washington Times Op-ed piece
• "Louis Farrakhan's First Congressman" article in The Weekly Standard
• Ellison and Islam
• "The Lessons of Keith Ellison", alt.muslim editorial
• Katherine Kersten: Ellison's positions on crime clear
• CD 5 Candidate Forum, October 17 (Minnesota Public Radio)
• CD 5 Candidate Forum, October 10 (Minnesota Public Radio)
• CD 5 Candidate Forum, September 21 (Minnesota Public Radio)

Template:Minnesota delegation to the 110th Congress

• 1963 births
• Living people
• Members of the Minnesota House of Representatives
• African Americans
• American Muslims
• African American politicians
• Minnesota politicians
• Muslim politicians
• United States House of Representatives candidates
• Muslim activists