DNC Boss Wasserman Schultz Won't Speak at Muslim Group's Fundraiser, After All

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz will not be keeping a speaking engagement at a controversial Muslim organization next month.

The Fort Lauderdale Democrat reportedly was scheduled to keynote a fundraising banquet of EMERGE USA on April 21. The group is headed by South Florida attorney Khurrum Wahid, who has a history of associating with organizations linked to al-Qaida and Hamas.

"There was a miscommunication, she is not speaking to the organization. We never agreed to do a fundraiser, nor this event," Wasserman Schultz spokesman Jonathan Beeton told Sunshine State News. He did not offer an explanation.

Joe Kaufman, a Republican candidate for Wasserman Schultz's seat, said, "I'm happy she decided to cancel, but she shouldn't have accepted in the first place.

"This is more evidence of her not truly being what she appears to be in public. She cultivates a persona as a wonderful pro-Israel character and plays up her Jewishness, but then she gets involved with an organization that targets Jews and Christians," Kaufman said of the hyper-partisan congresswoman who also chairs the Democratic National Committee.

"That's anti-Jewish and anti-American," Kaufman asserted.

Though EMERGE USA generally soft-pedals its Muslim leanings, its homepage displays a picture of head-scarfed women conducting a voter registration drive in Florida.

In addition to Kaufman, five other Republicans are seeking the GOP nomination in the 23rd Congressional District. They are Gineen Bresso, Ozzie DeFaria, Juan Eliel Garcia, Joe Goldner and Karen Harrington.

See earlier story here.