Politics on the Hudson

The Associated Press reports today that Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari, the Ardsley man accused of trying to help terrorists in Afghanistan, has donated some $15,000 to the House Republicans’ campaign committee in recent years.

From April 2002 until August 2004, the man also known as “Michael Mixon� gave donations ranging from $500 to $5,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee, according to Federal Election Commission reports and two campaign donor tracking Web sites (www.politicalmoneyline.com and www.opensecrets.org).

Alishtari pleaded not guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan to charges that include terrorism financing, material support of terrorism and money laundering.

The NRCC, according to the AP, has yet to say whether it will return the donations.

UPDATE: A spokeswoman for the NRCC, Jessica Boulanger, told the AP that if Alishtari is found guilty, the organization would donate the money to charity.

“We are extremely concerned and disturbed by these charges, but we need to be careful not to rush to judgment as the judicial process moves forward,� Boulanger said.

Read the AP story here.

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