I want to take the time to congratulate Jim and Seth for their piece today on Dr. Zuhdi Jasser. Dr. Jasser is one of my constituents and a patriot, and one of the most responsible voices in our cause to fight radical Islamist terrorists. I have appreciated his views and counsel on many topics in the past.

It’s telling that this story has not attracted greater attention, and especially sad that “mainstream” media sources, which expressed outrage when someone of the Islamic faith was not elected to a position on a local Republican party’s executive committee, are silent and ignore what clearly is the Obama administration’s refusal to utilize an intelligent American who is committed to the cause of fighting radical Islamic terrorists.

At a crucial moment in the history of the Middle East and the Arab world, and when our country needs effective advocates of democracy and liberalism, the Obama administration has chosen to sideline Dr. Jasser. Our public diplomacy effort will be weaker for it.