Pelosi doubles down: Yes, we should investigate the opponents of the Ground Zero mosque

Alternate headline: “Confirmed: Alvin Greene only the second-nuttiest Democrat in America.” In fairness, she’s now “clarified” to say that both sides of the issue should be investigated, but even lefty Greg Sargent isn’t buying that cop out. Apart from a few 527 ads, there’s no organized opposition to the mosque. Who is there to investigate?

The freedom of religion is a Constitutional right. Where a place of worship is located is a local decision.

I support the statement made by the Interfaith Alliance that ‘We agree with the ADL that there is a need for transparency about who is funding the effort to build this Islamic center. At the same time, we should also ask who is funding the attacks against the construction of the center.’

For all of those expressing concern about the 9/11 families, we call upon them to join us in support of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act when Congress returns in September.

This comes on the same day that a new Siena poll shows 63 percent of even big blue New York voters (state, not city) oppose the mosque. (64 percent, including majorities in every demographic, acknowledge that the owners have a right to build there if they choose.) Which brings me to something I’ve been thinking about all day: Has there been any dumber statement uttered by a major American politician this year than Pelosi calling for mosque opponents to be investigated for their thoughtcrime? In the thick of a brutal midterm campaign, with a supermajority of voters nationwide opposed to the mosque and the GOP already out to unprecedented leads on the generic ballot, facing a conservative narrative that the Democratic elite is power-mad, out of touch, and utterly contemptuous of the American public — she goes and pulls this. It’s so insane that, after I first read the quote, I was momentarily paranoid that there was some deep strategic brilliance to it that I was completely missing. But after thinking about it another five seconds, nope — she really is this wacky. Lefties would argue that Joe Barton’s apology to BP was even dumber, but (a) Barton’s a nobody compared to Madam Speaker and (b) his apology was a de facto attack on Obama for his handling of the BP escrow account. Pelosi, by contrast, is basically going after voters. Lots of voters. Brilliant.

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