Beyond Bachmann: A Challenge for the GOP

huffingtonpost.com — During the past week Congresswoman Michele Bachmann was sternly rebuked by Senator John McCain and other GOP leaders for her attack against State Department official, Huma Abedin, and her call to investigate and root out other "Muslim extremists" who may hold sensitive posts in the U.S. government. But before we assume that the story is over, it is important to recall that this "bait and smear" campaign directed against Muslims and Arabs didn't start with the letters written and co-signed by Bachmann and her four colleagues. And it doesn't end there, either. The problem is older, bigger, and runs deeper. This wasn't the first time Members of Congress instigated a "witch hunt" targeting American Muslims or Arab Americans in government. There are two factors that made this most recent attack different.

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