Keith Ellison
From dKosopedia
Categories: 110th Congress | Minnesota Democrats
| Keith Ellison | |
|---|---|
| U.S. Representative – MN-05 | |
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| Party | Democratic-Farmer-Labor |
| Assumed office January 4, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Martin Olav Sabo |
| Committees | |
| Born | August 4, 1963 |
| Spouse | Kim Ellison |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Keith Ellison is the Democratic Representative for Minnesota's 5th District in the U.S. House. He was first elected to Congress in 2006, see Minnesota U.S. House election, 2006. Ellison previously served four years in the Minnesota State House, from 2002-2006, representing District 58B. He endorses an immediate withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Iraq.
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Background
In addition to his work in the State House, Ellison was the executive director of the Legal Rights Center, and he hosted a public affairs radio program for eight years. He was also directly involved in the effort to establish the Minneapolis Police-Civilian Review Board in the early 1990s.
Although he was raised a Roman Catholic, the 43 year old Ellison converted to Islam while in college. Ellison and his wife Kim have four children.
Overcoming Conservative Bigotry
- One week after his election, the conservative CNN anchor Glenn Beck said: "I have been nervous about this interview with you, because what I feel like saying is, 'Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.'" Source: Media Matters with video.
- When Ellison took his ceremonial oath of office on a Quran, conservative radio host Dennis Prager suggested Ellison was responsible for the ensuing controversy. According to Prager, "I am for no law to be passed to prevent Keith Ellison or anyone else from bringing any book he wants to his swearing-in, whether actual or ceremonial. But neither I nor tens of millions of other Americans will watch in silence as the Bible is replaced with another religious text for the first time since George Washington brought a Bible to his swearing-in. It is not I, but Keith Ellison, who has engaged in disuniting the country. He can still help reunite it by simply bringing both books to his ceremonial swearing-in. Had he originally announced that he would do that, I would have written a different column--filled with praise of him. And there would be a lot less cursing and anger in America." Source: Mark Memmott. "Prager Says it is Ellison who is 'Disuniting the Country'." USA Today. December 5, 2006.
Committees
- House Committee on Financial Services
- Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology
- Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
- Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity
- House Committee on the Judiciary
- Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties
- Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law
Contact
GovTrack link
External Links
- Keith Ellison for Congress - campaign website.
- "Keith Ellison could be first Muslim elected to US Congress"
- "America’s First Muslim Congressman" Ben Birnbaum. The Cornell Daily Sun. October 23, 2006.
Related areas
Congress: MN-Sen, MN-01, MN-02, MN-03, MN-04, MN-05, MN-06, MN-07, MN-08,
State: MN-Gov, Minnesota Senate, Minnesota House, Minnesota elections, 2008
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