- Washington Free Beacon - https://freebeacon.com -

MMFA Researcher: 'Shame On' DWS

Media Matters for America’s newly installed Middle East expert is apparently following in the footsteps of disgraced former staffer M.J. Rosenberg, blasting Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D., Fla.) for pulling out of a fundraiser hosted by an American Muslim leader who was placed on the Federal Terrorist Watch List.

Earlier today, MMFA researcher Walid Zafar cast aspersions on Wasserman Schultz for backing out of a fundraiser hosted by Khurrum Wahid, a controversial attorney with a track record of defending accused terrorists and associating with Muslim Brotherhood-backed groups.

"Shame on Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz," Zafar tweeted, including a link to a story about the botched fundraiser.

The Free Beacon was among the first outlets to report on Wasserman Schultz’s scheduled appearance at the fundraiser—an event that she subsequently pulled out of after "a miscommunication" with organizers.

Zafar’s virtual insult quickly caught the eye of Rosenberg, who subsequently promoted the message on Twitter.

Rosenberg parted ways with Media Matters last week after months of public pressure from pro-Israel forces tainted the liberal watchdog group’s reputation and led accusations of anti-Israel bias.

Zafar, who was born in Kabul, according to an online biography, has written critically about Israel in the past, alleging that the Jewish state "is notorious for its use of such bombings, what they call ‘targeted killings.’ "

He also has accused Israel of sustaining a conflict with the Palestinians for purely economic reasons.

"Most important is that Israel’s economy is built, designed and constructed on a security apparatus," he wrote for The Melon, an online community portal. "While most Israelis want peace, the sad truth is that war is the lifeline of the Israeli economy."

In a separate post on his personal blog entitled, "The Wikilobby," Zafar discusses attempts "to turn Wikipedia into another pro-Israel tool."