If Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., spent as much time trying to keep this country safe as he does advocating for the Muslims who elected him, perhaps it wouldnâÄôt be necessary for his Republican colleagues to call for an investigation into the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which has already been identified in at least one high-profile case as having ties to the well-known terrorist group Hamas. The difference, however, between Ellison and his colleagues, who called for the investigation into CAIRâÄôs alleged infiltration of congressional committees, is that those four congressmen are engaging in exactly the kind of transparency Obama spoke about often during his campaign but has yet to actually practice. He is apparently too busy behind closed doors trying to do for America what Chavez is doing for Venezuela. We hear a lot from lefties like Ellison about the importance of church-state separation, but apparently that doesnâÄôt apply to the public funding of Muslim foot-washing basins in schools. We hear a lot from them about the danger of Israeli machinations in Congress and the dangerous influence on policy it represents, but apparently itâÄôs OK to simply conclude Muslim groups like CAIR have only honorable intentions and leave it at that âÄî assume the best and donâÄôt worry about the potential consequences. The investigation called for by Republicans in Congress, who stand to gain absolutely nothing politically from it, constitutes an open, honest and sincere desire to ensure that the greatest danger this country faces today âÄî radical Islam âÄî does not find a way to influence the corridors of power in Washington. If CAIR has nothing to hide, then fine, it has nothing to fear. Mark Overholser Daily reader Please send comments to [email protected].