Ingrid Mattson was chosen to speak at President-elect Barack Obama’s inaugural prayer service Wednesday. Mattson has been the guest of honor at State Department dinners and has met with senior Pentagon officials during the Bush administration. However, in 2007 and as recently as last July, federal prosecutors in Dallas filed court documents linking the Hartford, Connecticut-based Islamic society to Hamas.
The Union for Reform Judaism issued a statement in July 2008 defending ISNA against the allegations, saying “we have found the organization to be a valuable partner in pursuing our shared vision of peace and cooperation. ISNA’s voice is an important one, adding to America’s religious prophetic voices seeking to make our world a better place.”
Linda Douglass, a spokeswoman for Obama’s inaugural committee, would not discuss the case or say whether the committee knew about it. “She has a stellar reputation in the faith community,” Douglass said Saturday night.
