Yesterday, I noted that Concerned Women for America and the Family Research Council were skipping CPAC, but Muslims for America – whose co-founder Muhammad Ali Hasan had recently become a Democrat, citing anti-Muslim bigotry in Republican politics – was participating. A spokesman for Muslims for America clears this up:
Muhammad Ali Hasan no longer directs Muslims For America. The current board would like to continue participating at CPAC, but that is contingent on budget and schedule - at this point, we do not expect Muslims For America to be appearing at the next CPAC, but that is not a guaranteed statement.
Also worth pointing out: While CWA participated in CPAC last year, the FRC did not, and focused on the Values Voter Summit held six months later. And both the statements from CWA an FRC are split between opposition to GOProud and complaints about the American Conservative Union’s finances. Tom McClusky of the FRC: “We will no longer be involved with CPAC because of the organization’s financial mismanagement and movement away from conservative principles.” And among the social conservative groups still participating in CPAC are Focus on the Family Action/Citizenlink and Americans United for Life. But the overall WorldNetDaily narrative is correct – whether or not they’re doing it as a way to back out of an event they don’t trust financially, social conservative groups that focus on the preservation of traditional families are, indeed, looking elsewhere, as CPAC grows more libertarian in its participants and co-sponsors.
