Excerpt:
When I published my commentary "Perry's Problematic Pals" in the American Thinker Monday, the reaction was swift. I had pointed out that Texas Gov. Rick Perry "is a friend of the Aga Khan, the multimillionaire head of the Ismailis, a Shiite sect of Islam that today proclaims its nonviolence but in ages past was the sect that gave rise to the Assassins," and that "last March, Perry gave a speech in Dallas in the company of Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform." In response, detractors emphasized the peacefulness of the Ismailis and criticized me for making so much of Perry's speaking at the same event with Norquist. But there is more here that reflects poorly on Perry than they realize.
First, Norquist. Yes, all Perry did was give a speech in partnership with Grover Norquist, and promote it on his website. Norquist heads up Americans for Tax Reform, and Perry's tax-cutting message is redolent of Norquist's influence. But Norquist also has deep and extensive ties to Islamic supremacists and jihadists, as I showed in the first commentary. That raises legitimate questions about whether or not Perry knows about, or cares about, or even endorses, that activity by Norquist. I certainly would refuse to speak at the same event in partnership with Grover Norquist – let alone promote it on my website. Shouldn't Rick Perry have, too?