Obama Criticized for Charity Connection

April 28, 2008

Obama Criticized for Charity Connection

Sen. Barack Obama is under fire again for his ties to a charity leader.

FrontPage Magazine, a conservative online publication, and conservative blog writers are lambasting the Democrat from Illinois because his Web site listed as a supporter Hatem El-Hady.

Mr. El-Hady is the former chairman of KindHearts, a Muslim charity in Ohio that was closed in 2006 by the federal government for allegedly raising money for Palestinian terrorists.

Mr. El-Hady and the nonprofit organization have denied the charges.

What’s more, senators during a hearing this month questioned about how the Bush administration was investigating Islamic charities.

Mr. El-Hady’s profile was posted on My.BarackObama.com, a social-networking site of Obama supporters.

According to some blog authors, the profile of Mr. El-Hady was no longer available on the site once questions were raised about him. Previously, the profile said that he was one of more than 220 “friends” of Mr. Obama’s wife and that he had raised $60 for the presidential candidate.

This is not the first time Mr. Obama has been criticized for his connection to a nonprofit group.

This month concerns were raised about Mr. Obama’s association with the Woods Fund of Chicago and one of its board members, William C. Ayers, who had been part of the Vietnam-era Weather Underground. Mr. Obama served as a member of the Woods Fund’s board from 1998 to 2001

Read The Chronicle article about the Woods Fund controversy and how other presidential candidates stand on nonprofit-related issues.

— Ian Wilhelm

Comments

I know nothing of the facts of this charity. However, given the dismal results the Bush Administration has had trying to prove in court that Islamic charities are supporting terrorism, I would have some doubt about allegations on this one.

— Lee Apr 29, 11:54 AM #
Have you try to look up the fund raising that Sen. Clinton & Mccain have done but I guess you don’t have the time

— fade up May 1, 04:32 PM #

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