PFAW Calls on Speaker Boehner to Remove Michele Bachmann from Intelligence Committee

People For the American Way is calling on House Speaker John Boehner to remove Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and two other members from their seats on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence after a series of irresponsible allegations against U.S. government employees.

Intelligence Committee members Bachmann, Rep. Lynn Westmoreland and Rep. Thomas Rooney were among the five Republican representatives to sign a letter to federal agencies baselessly alleging that a number of public servants, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's aide Huma Abedin, have ties to the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood. The letter relied largely on phony information peddled by anti-Muslim activist Frank Gaffney.

Last week, Speaker Boehner called the accusations "pretty dangerous," but refused to say whether he'd remove Bachmann and the others from the Intelligence Committee. Abedin has reportedly been placed under police protection after receiving a threat.

"Michele Bachmann has never been a model of responsibility, but this latest attack is one step too far," said Michael Keegan, President of People For the American Way. "Members of the House Intelligence Committee are entrusted with classified information that affects the safety and security of all Americans. That information should not be in the hands of anyone with such a disregard for honesty, misunderstanding of national security, and lack of respect for her fellow public servants.

"Speaker Boehner was right to call out Rep. Bachmann's dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric. Now he should act on those words."

PFAW's Right Wing Watch has put together a brief history of Rep. Bachmann's conspiracy theories.