U.S. Rep. John Salazar on Tuesday said he stands behind his Muslim staffer who has been lambasted by his Republican opponent for using a personal e-mail to criticize comments about Islam made by Rep. Tom Tancredo.
Nayyera Haq, Salazar’s communications director for the past two years and currently a staffer on his re-election campaign, wrote in an e-mail in response to a question from a reporter at The Rocky Mountain News last week that Tancredo “has always been articulate in expressing his hatred of Islam and immigrants.”
The question, and Haq’s answer, were related to Tancredo’s recent letter to Pope Benedict XVI urging him not to apologize for remarks the pope made about Muslims.
Tancredo wrote to Salazar’s office, saying the congressman should clarify whether he agreed with Haq. Scott Tipton, who is running against Salazar and has been endorsed by Tancredo, issued a statement calling on Salazar to “rein in” his spokeswoman.
Salazar, a Catholic, said his staffer was free to express her personal opinions about her religion.
“Nayyera was speaking on her own behalf. She was stressing the importance of building bridges, rather than knocking them down,” Salazar said Tuesday. “These attacks are desperate measures from a desperate campaign. When a candidate cannot run on the issues, he reverts to attacks against 24-year-old staffers.”
Haq was contacted for comments about Tancredo’s letter to the pope as a member of the Muslim Staffers Association, a Capitol Hill social and networking group with 25 members.
Haq voluntarily took several days off after the tempest over her remarks was picked up by right-wing Internet groups and questions were raised about the Muslim Staffers Association.
The group is sanctioned by Congress, as are other staff associations.
Sal Pace, Salazar’s campaign manager, said the group is not allowed to take stands on issues facing Congress. But Tancredo’s remarks to the pope fall outside that restriction, Pace said.
Dirk Hallen, Tipton’s campaign manager, said the whole matter is “emblematic of Salazar’s lack of leadership.”
Staff writer Nancy Lofholm can be reached at 970-256-1957 or nlofholm@denverpost.com.
