Democrats 'Sickened' By WJLA Anchor's Question To Muslim Delegate

VIRGINIA — The Democratic Party of Virginia said it was “sickened” by a debate question asked to a Muslim candidate during last month’s lieutenant governor’s debate at George Mason University in Fairfax.

The party said WJLA broke the rules of the partnership with the Democratic Party by asking the question at all.

The letter, sent by DPV Chairwoman Susan Swecker to Muslim Advocates on June 10, was a response to a letter sent to the party and news station WJLA by 10 Muslim elected officials from Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia demanding answers about the debate question asked to Virginia Del. Sam Rasoul, who was seeking the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.

Muslim Advocates is a national group that advocates on behalf of Muslims in America in the courts, state houses and local communities.

The Democratic Party cast blame for the debate question on WJLA and debate moderator Dave Lucas. “If we had known this was their intention, we would have cancelled the debate,” the party leader said in the letter.

Lucas, a news anchor at WJLA, was one of the moderators at the first and only debate among the candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. The debate was held at George Mason University in Fairfax.

Lucas directly asked Del. Sam Rasoul, one of six candidates, about his ability to represent all Virginians. "Can you assure Virginians, if you're elected, you'll represent all of them, regardless of faith or beliefs?" Lucas asked Rasoul.

Rasoul came in second to Del. Hala Ayala in last week's Democratic Party primary election for lieutenant governor.

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Swecker, the DPV chairwoman, said she spoke with Rasoul immediately after the debate and the DPVA team met with Rasoul’s campaign manager. "We were sickened by what happened and it
is completely unfair and inaccurate to say that we don’t have a whiff of concern," Swecker wrote in the letter to the Muslim leaders.

After the debate, WJLA also issued multiple apologies that placed the blame on Lucas for asking the question. Lucas has not said anything and has blocked Muslim Advocates on Twitter, the organization said.

“Ten Muslim elected officials in the DMV spoke out because the area’s Muslim community needs to know that the institutions claiming to the serve them, like their news stations, aren’t promoting anti-Muslim animus,” Muslim Advocates Public Advocacy Director Scott Simpson said Tuesday in a statement. “We appreciate the Democratic Party of Virginia’s genuine clarification and strong response standing up to this anti-Muslim bigotry in the Commonwealth.”

The group said it also appreciates that WJLA recognizes there has been harm done by Lucas.

“But the station refuses to explain how this anti-Muslim debate question was conceived, approved and asked by their employees and Mr. Lucas has continued to be silent,” Simpson said.

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