(WASHINGTON D.C., 4/11/2022) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today joined a call by the Montana Human Rights Network (MHRN) to investigate a state prison sergeant’s alleged links to a white supremacist organization.
MHRN first raised concern over the sergeant last year. This month, the watchdog group issued a report highlighting the sergeant’s ties to white supremacist ideologue Ron McVan. In the report, MHRN alleges that the sergeant has hosted events with McVan’s supporters, records music with McVan, and expresses support for McVan’s ideas on social media.
In response to MHRN’s allegations, Montana’s Department of Corrections reiterated its zero-tolerance policy on discrimination in the workplace and noted that the report did not allege the sergeant engaged in any white supremacist activity while on duty. A spokesperson for the department declined to say if an investigation had been launched into whether or not the sergeant attempted to recruit inmates or prison employees into the McVan’s organization or brought materials related to the activities outlined in the report into the prison.
SEE: State prison sergeant has ties to white nationalists, watch group says
“We call on the Montana Department of Corrections to immediately launch a thorough and transparent investigation into whether this individual’s reported bigoted views negatively impact inmates from minority communities,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “Someone who allegedly holds such bigoted, hateful views cannot be trusted to treat all inmates fairly.”
He said CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and white supremacy.
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La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com