Phoenix Calls for Attorney General to Look Into Roxbury Mosque Deal

The tide is changing in Boston, and  I just love the smell of the salty sea air. 

The left-of-liberal Boston Phoenix is calling for an investigation into the Boston Redevelopment Authority transfer of city land to the Islamic Society of Boston. This op-ed follows the in-depth article from two weeks ago on "Menino's Mosque."  From today's op-ed:

"As (reporter) Bernstein found, the public record strongly suggests that a well-regarded BRA staffer, Muhammad Ali-Salaam, played both sides against the middle in acting as an inside advocate and actual fundraiser for the mosque project, all while executing his public responsibilities as a taxpayer-paid employee. Whether such conduct represented a conflict of interest is a question for Attorney General Martha Coakley to tackle."

"...The city's blind dedication to building the mosque prevented BRA officials from considering other proposals. Anyone who thinks that the area is now a thriving economic hub should look again. While notable and worthwhile development has taken place in other parts of the city — a new Prudential Center project was announced just days ago — development in and around the area of the mosque stagnated. Would the public good have been better served if, during the 10 years when the mosque projected stalled, that land was opened up to others with competing ideas? Taxpayers will never know."

"Whatever one thinks of the favorable deal the city struck with the mosque, there remains a question as to whether this is the best way for the city to conduct itself. That is why the Phoenix joins in calling for the independent Boston Municipal Research Bureau to examine the mosque deal and offer its opinion on whether this is the way the city should be conducting its development business."

"Meanwhile, the City Council should look into whether the playgrounds by the mosque are being properly maintained; the attorney general should review whether the public's business was properly transacted; and the secretary of state should seek changes in the law governing public documents, so that in the future, getting answers to questions such as these might be possible."

Them's fightin' words. 

The Mayor and the City Council were negligent in their fiduciary duties, and we now have a Muslim Brotherhood front organization running the largest mosque in New England under our noses.  With the  taxpayers' assistance.   It's not too late!  I applaud the Phoenix for this strong call for an investigation.

Comments

[Shawmut]

Clearly, in this pedestrian's mind, this should go before a Grand Jury.
FINCOM, as I related in earlier comments is little buit a cluster of titles. Somewhere, in all this, I sense a death of civic life from OD's of political correctitude, appeasemnt to it..and greed.

[Fran]

AG Coakley will do nothing. The Municipal Research Bureau will be afraid to cross the mayor. Will the Globe and Herald add their voices? Not likely. Powerless in Massachusetts.

[Former Bostonian]

Interestingly, in the winter of 2006, a group of Muslims in Boston attempted to stand up to the MAS / Ikhwani domination of the new ISB during closed meetings regarding one of the new ISB's different services. But in the end, no one stands against MAS / MB in Boston. You won't get the financial or community support you need, so people either capitulate and grumble under their breath, or throw up their hands and leave.

[Miss Kelly]

Former Bostonian, you are not the first Muslim to point out that MAS has a stranglehold on Muslim organizations around here. There is a whole lot of grumbling going on! Apparently, it's impossible to go against them and their conservative ideology. How sad for Muslims (and non-Muslims) that MAS/MB has monopolized the Muslim organizations. And how pathetic that Christian and Jewish interfaith groups, the City of Boston, and the Boston Globe are unwittingly (?) backing the Muslim mafia.