Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said yesterday that Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson’s promise earlier this year to “give voice to the plight of Muslims living in this country and the discrimination that they face” was “just appalling,” adding that he does not believe Muslim-Americans face any discrimination.
Iowa talk radio host Jan Mickelson played King a clip of Johnson’s remarks at a February summit on violent extremism, asking incredulously, “So the guy that we put in charge of homeland security thinks that it’s his job as chief of the homeland security to give voice to Muslims while calling Islam the religion of peace?”
“This is just appalling to think that the man who’s in charge of protecting Americans domestically would take a position like that, Jan,” King responded.
“The president can dredge up his Crusader history and try to leverage that back against us to guilt us,” he said, referring to President Obama’s remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, “but what’s this discrimination that’s going on against Muslims in this country? I’m not seeing it. I mean, they’re beheading Christians on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and some people are speaking ill of that component. So where are the moderate Muslims speaking up?”
