The Virginia official in charge of vetting the hundreds of appointees for state panels and commissions said her office will broaden background checks to include scouring Internet sites like Youtube after a dispute this week over an Islamic member of an immigration panel.
Secretary of the Commonwealth Kate Hanley said the agency will include searches of YouTube and other Internet sites, along with the records database LexisNexis, a decision that follows Thursday’s resignation of Esam Omeish, president of the Muslim American Society.
“We are going to find the right balance between information and intrusion,” Hanley said. “We are going to expand our capacity [for background checks].”
Omeish, an Alexandria surgeon, resigned after a state delegate complained of his group’s alleged ties to Muslim extremists and online video footage surfaced of him supporting “the jihad way” of Palestinians opposing Israel. On Friday, Omeish told reporters those remarks have been taken out of context.
The charges of Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Woodstock, “revolve around obsolete historical associations,” Omeish said. The delegate had linked the group with the Muslim Brotherhood, which he said sought to enact worldwide Islamic government.
Critics quickly took aim at the Kaine administration for a failing to properly vet an appointee to one of the state’s most important commissions. The 20-member immigration panel, which met for the first time this month, is charged with reviewing the effects of immigration on the commonwealth.
Hanley told the Examiner Friday that her office reviews between 800 to 1,000 appointees each year, not including those who aren’t eventually selected to serve.
Gilbert nevertheless questioned the scrutiny the Kaine administration applies to the appointees. An issue remains over whether Omeish’s background “was intentionally ignored,” he said.
Controversial nominee Esam Omeish at Jerusalem Day Rally as shown on YouTube.
“Of course, I’m not suggesting that the governor knew about this guy espousing jihad on video,” Gilbert said Friday.
Kaine spokesman Kevin Hall could not be reached for comment Friday.
In this video posted on YouTube, Esam Omeish is shown addressing a rally in front of the Israeli Embassy on Oct. 6, 2000.
