This entry is a separate follow-up to this post from last week. In particular, it focuses on the ties of Democratic Congressman Bob Filner (CA-51) – who is currently running for mayor of San Diego – to the Fethullah Gulen movement as well as the degree to which he is beholden to that movement. The 60 Minutes piece by ‘Leafblower’ Leslie didn’t hit on this disturbing connection either.

First of all, Bob Filner is one of 70 Congressmen who was registered with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) Caucus in 2009.

Earlier this month, the San Diego Reader reported on Filner’s trip to Turkey in 2010, which was paid for by a group known as the Pacifica Institute, an entity with extremely close ties to the Gulenist movement. The Reader also reported that Filner took another trip courtesy of Pacifica in 2011 that totaled $3700 according to Filner’s filing.

In 2009, Pacifica sponsored the Gulen Conference at USC in Los Angeles.

There are countless examples of Filner’s ties to Gulenist-connected groups, to include his appearance at and participation in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Turkish American Alliance upon returning from his Pacifica-sponsored trip. Yes, Pacifica is listed as a member organization of the TAA. Ok, so Gulenist-connected groups have bought influence with a member of the Democratic Socialists of America communist caucus, which further validates Rep. Allen West’s concerns.

How about some more background on Filner? As a Democrat who is a member of the DSA, would his father’s communist leanings be relevant? According to the Pittsburgh Press in 1942, Joseph Filner was secretary of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) in Pittsburgh, PA. Even the New York Times wrote in 1990 that the elder Filner sold Soviet products in the United States for 35 years.

So the son of a leader in the CPUSA is a Socialist Communist Democrat who is connected with and has ties to Gulenist groups.

That would mean that Communist leftists are working with Islamists. Really? That is a shocker!

Joe McCarthy’s legacy seems to be aging much better than what the communist left – to include the liberal media – would have us believe. Speaking of the liberal media, ‘Leafblower Leslie’ didn’t cover any of this in her 60 Minutes report on Gulen.

Big h/t to Donna G for this post.

Ben Barrack is a talk show host and author of the upcoming book, Unsung Davids