Chris Gaubatz is a businessman, activist and owner of Chris Allen Gaubatz Publishing. He infiltrated the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a U.S. Muslim Brotherhood entity, by becoming an intern. His undercover research was then featured in Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld that’s Conspiring to Islamize America.
He is a defendant in the ongoing case, CAIR v Gaubatz. He is currently working on the publication of a book titled CAIRvGaubatz by Egyptian author Hany Ghoraba, who previously wrote Egypt’s Arab Spring: The Long and Winding Road to Democracy.
The following is Clarion Project analyst Ryan Mauro’s interview with Chris Gaubatz:
1. Mauro: Where do things stand in CAIR’s lawsuit against you?
Gaubatz: Judge Kotar-Kelly will be ruling on two motions for dismissal—one on behalf of Frank Gaffney, David Yerushalmi, Christine Brim, Adam Savitt and Sarah Pavlis and the other is on behalf of Dave and Chris Gaubatz (myself). Once the Judge rules, the trial will either be over for all parties, or the case will proceed to trial.
2. Mauro: One of the difficult things for average Westerners to understand is how likable Islamists can be. They are often genuinely nice, donate to charity, etc,. and it doesn’t seem to match with their ideology. When you were inside CAIR, what was your experience like with the officials?
Gaubatz: Most of the people I worked with at CAIR, whether they seemed to align themselves ideologically with the Muslim Brotherhood or were at CAIR for different reasons, were likable. In fact, one of the most dangerous characters at CAIR-National, Ibrahim Hooper (Communications Director), was the person I cottoned to the most.
On a personal note, this was very difficult, as the ideology of the person defines their motives. This doesn’t always align with their attitude toward people in general. Whether they are Al-Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood, etc., if a person believes they are doing the right thing, even if their ideology juxtaposes liberty the world over, their general attitude may be pleasant.
This fact in no way belies the danger they pose to society at large. I had to remember this constantly.
Yaser Tabbara was another person that fit the Muslim Brotherhood mold of being likable, professional and well-spoken. He once told me that President Obama had a limp hand shake when he met him in Chicago. He is now a senior spokesman for the Syrian opposition, the “rebels,” many of whom are Al-Qaeda and/or are fighting for a Sunni Islamic state.
Raabia Wazir was no more Muslim Brotherhood than I was, but she was still helping the Brotherhood and was very nice.
The ironic aspect of this question is that if I really think about it, the only person that wasn’t pleasant in my opinion (and in the opinion of some of the interns) was the Executive Director of CAIR, Nihad Awad. He was aloof, bordering on smug. He is not personable. He seethes discontent and represents an organization that beseeches mutual understanding. Very odd.
That whole cliché interview with the neighbor of a terrorist or a serial killer usually ends with the interviewee adding, “I can’t believe this, he was just so nice—quiet but nice.” That’s how I feel about Nihad Awad and some of the other CAIR officials.
3. Mauro: Based on your experience, is everyone inside CAIR an Islamist? And if not, how many are well-meaning Muslims that don’t know CAIR’s history?
Gaubatz: The main characters-Nihad, Tabarra and Hooper—are 100% Islamist and Muslim Brotherhood. Yes, they are Western Muslim Brotherhood, but Muslim Brotherhood nonetheless.
I can’t speak for staff or anyone else really, but my impression was that the interns I worked with were decent folk that wanted to help a civil rights organization. This is the tragedy of the tremendous Brotherhood propaganda efforts.
These interns should not feel bad about being duped by the Brotherhood. Many elites, academics, politicians and journalists in the West yearning for a moderate Muslim voice have been duped as well. That voice exists, but it doesn’t come from CAIR National. The only voice CAIR represents is the Brotherhood and Hamas. Most Americans don’t know this, so I can’t blame the staff and interns for not knowing.
The top officials at CAIR really intend to influence foreign and domestic policy in favor of pro-Brotherhood stances. The world is watching how dangerous it is to be influenced by pro-Islamist Brotherhood groups in America. President Obama has announced his intention to go to war in Syria. CAIR supports intervention in Syria, as well.
4. Mauro: You were obviously well-educated about CAIR before entering the organization. Did anything you witness really surprise you?
Gaubatz: I was surprised at how much I learned about propaganda, lawfare and media manipulation while performing research as an intern in CAIR-National. They are masters of media manipulation, working to control the opinion of the 7% of the electorate in our democracy that is involved politically. It shows.
Legally, either we get a dismissal or we go to trial, but either way, we win. The truth is on our side.
I am publishing a book about the Muslim Brotherhood and their satellite organizations throughout the world, including CAIR. The book is by author Hany Ghoraba. Hany will provide fresh insights into the dangers of the Muslim Brotherhood, how they affect the personal liberty of every person the world over, whether in Egypt or in Illinois.
Liberty is the one concept that can unite us against the Islamist machine that is the Muslim Brotherhood. I will use everything I learned at CAIR and my experience throughout my life to expose the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood as long as there is a Muslim Brotherhood.
Stay tuned, I’ll be tweeting our progress @CAIRvGaubatz as well as Hany @hanyghoraba.
