Bachmann Statements 'Have No Place in Our Politics,' Says Clinton
Hillary Clinton on Monday defended the State Department and her aide, Huma Abedin, against charges levied by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and four of her GOP colleagues that inferred that senior government officials and their relatives had close ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Clinton's comments came after her speech on international religious freedom in Washington at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
"Leaders have to be active in stepping in and sending messages about protecting the diversity within their countries," Clinton said. "And frankly, I don't see enough of that, and I want to see more of it. I want to see more of it, and we did see some of that in our own country. We saw Republicans stepping up and standing up against the kind of assaults that really have no place in our politics."
The assertions made by Bachmann and fellow GOP members Reps. Trent Franks (Ariz.), Tom Rooney (Fla.), Lynn Westmoreland (Ga.) and Louie Gohmert (Texas), focused on her long-time aide Huma Abedin, and questioned whether or not Abedin's parents and siblings were able to influence State Department policies on behalf of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The letters specifically asked that the deputy inspector general investigate Abedin's relationship to members of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Abedin is also the wife of former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner who resigned last summer after admitting to sending inappropriate texts to other women.
Not only did Democrats react harshly to the mid-June letters, but key Republicans such as Sens. John McCain (Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and House Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) issued statements critical of the letters.
"These attacks on Huma have no logic, no basis and no merit," said McCain during a speech on the Senate floor. "And they need to stop now."
However, the former GOP presidential candidate from Minnesota did not seem to feel the effects of the criticism as she reported raising over $1 million during the month of July, she announced today via Twitter.
"I'm so grateful to my generous and faithful supporters," Bachmann wrote on her Twitter account.
Bachmann will defend her seat in November when she faces Democrat Jim Graves.
