Source: MPAC News
On July 23, 2003 the Muslim Public Affairs Council reported that "members of the Senate committee charged with recommending Daniel Pipes to serve on the board of the US Institute for Peace (USIP) asked Chairman Judd Gregg (R-NH) for more time to gather more information on the 'controversial nominee'... Senator Tom Harkin (D-Il), who spoke at length about how offended he was, as a child of immigrants from Europe of the Catholic faith, by the Pipes' bigoted, anti-Muslim commentary. Senator Harkin said, 'some people call [Pipes] a scholar... but this is not the kind of person you want on the USIP.' Senator Harkin added, 'My state has the very first Mosque ever built in the United States... in Cedar Rapids, IA, and Muslims are a vibrant part of our diverse community.'"