You know this trumped up controversy is bogus when even NYC’s thoroughly dhimmified Mayor Michael Bloomberg has vigorously defended it, never mind the fact that it has been driven almost exclusively by CAIR and the ACLU.
Via NY Daily News:
More than half New York’s Congressional delegation voted to punish the NYPD for spying on Muslim communities.
The mostly symbolic vote was aimed at getting the NYPD to stop any efforts to quietly monitor or infiltrate mosques, bookstores or cafes, and to get rid of any data collected on Muslim individuals not accused of any crime.
Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., introduced the amendment, saying the wholesale surveillance of innocent communities, many in his state, has not caught any terrorists.
“Contrary to the blanket assertions by some that the tactics have kept New York City safe, the NYPD failed to uncover two actual plots against New York City,” Holt said, referring to foiled bombings in Times Square and the New York subway system.
Holt’s proposal would have banned any federal funds from flowing to law enforcement agencies that engage in any form of racial, ethnic, or religious profiling.
The amendment drew fire from Rep. Peter King, head of the House Homeland Security Committee. He defended both the NYPD and its counterterrorism surveillance programs.
“I remember years ago when the Justice Department was going after the Mafia, they went to the Italian American communities. When they were going after the Westies, they went to the Irish American communities. When you’re looking for the Russian mob, you go to the communities in Coney Island and Brighton Beach. That’s where the enemy comes from,” King said, according to a transcript of Wednesday’s midnight debate.
The amendment was defeated 232 to 193.
The split ran along partisan lines, with only 16 Republicans calling to block funding to police departments that run such surveillance programs and only 8 Democrats voting against the measure.
Among New York’s 29 congress members, three Democrats broke party ranks to support the police departments’ efforts — Carolyn McCarthy of Long Island and upstate representatives Brian Higgins and Kathy Hochul.