News media attack Cruz national security advisor appointee

Taking a break from their constant anti-Trump/pro-Clinton juggernaut, the news industry is reporting that GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz chose a former Reagan Administration administration official — who is now the head of a national security think-tank — as his security policy adviser. But rather than announcing the appointment and listing his achievements, reporters ran to a suspicious left-wing “watchdog” to denigrate Cruz’s new advisor. 

The Hill news web site, which is used by many top news organizations for U.S. government coverage, called Cruz appointee Frank Gaffney an “archconservative” and noted that he is “one of America’s most notorious Islamophobes.”

New Ted Cruz national security adviser, Frank Gaffney.
New Ted Cruz national security adviser, Frank Gaffney.

Gaffney is the president of the conservative think-tank Center for Security Policy, a well-respected organization that assists law enforcement and the military. He is a former Pentagon official who has appeared numerous times on news programs aired by Fox News Channel, Newsmax TV, CNN and others.  

“I am honored and humbled to have a range of respected voices willing to offer their best advice,” Cruz said in a statement announcing the list of foreign policy hands. “These are trusted friends who will form a core of our broader national security team,” Cruz said upon announcing the Gaffney appointment.

The Gaffney announcement has drawn intense criticism from the Southern Poverty Law Center, which many critics claim is a left-wing front-group for the Democrat Party that lists Christian, Jewish and other organizations as being “hate groups.”  SPLC stated that Gaffney is“gripped by paranoid fantasies about Muslims destroying the West from within.” 

The Southern Poverty Law Center claims that Gaffney “is now one of America’s most notorious Islamophobes.” 

In its review of Gaffney — and what many in law enforcement consider his valuable work — SPLC wrote: “If Frank Gaffney Jr. had his way, average hard-working Americans of the Muslim faith would be dragged before Congress to face such questions as, “Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood?” In Gaffney’s mind, America is in peril, and bringing back the notorious Cold War-era House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) would expose the subversives he imagines are working to implement Shariah religious law throughout the land.”

“That group [Southern Poverty Law Center] is hardly an unbiased watchdog. In fact, it’s reviews sound more like a leftist hit list of groups that must be stopped,” said Sid Franes, a former police detective and intelligence operative. “It’s just another ACLU wannabe without the big budget,” he added.

Political strategist Mike Baker believes that news organizations find the SPLC a convenient tool that provides quotes for them to hide behind. “If ABC or CNN wish to denigrate a GOP candidate all they need to so is call on SPLC and they get exactly what they’re looking for. Then they claim they’re not editorializing in the news stories since it was SPLC criticizing someone,” Baker noted.

During the Reagan Administration, the 62-year-old Gaffney served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs and he holds both bachelor and master degrees from Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University respectively.

Senator Ted Cruz talks with Frank Gaffney about the Iran Nuclear Deal and how Democrats will affect the deal. He also discusses an Iranian EMP threat which could take down the U.S. electrical grid.

Jim-Kouri

Jim Kouri, CPP, is founder and CEO of Kouri Associates, a homeland security, public safety and political consulting firm. He's formerly Fifth Vice-President, now a Board Member of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, a columnist, and a contributor to the nationally syndicated talk-radio program, the Chuck Wilder Show.. He's former chief of police at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at St. Peter's University and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country.

2 thoughts on “News media attack Cruz national security advisor appointee

  • March 18, 2016 at 1:58 am
    Permalink

    Fantastic article Jim, Thank you for doing such a great job of actually reporting this story unbiased and without personal opinion. If only we could get the MSM to report a story like this Our Nation wouldn’t be so ill informed and dumbed down. I look forward to reading anything that you report in the future. Now my personal opinion…..If Cruz is putting the Southern Poverty Law Center’s panties in a bunch then he is doing EXACTLY what we need a President to do rather than cater to a bunch of whiny crybaby Liberals who can find St. Patricks Day racist today like the current pResident does.

    Reply
    • March 19, 2016 at 3:44 pm
      Permalink

      Thank you, Carla. You’re very kind and perceptive.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *