UPDATE: Republican party decides to keep money donated from suspected terrorist

I reported earlier last week that the Republican party had been given thousands of dollars from a suspected terrorist:

My, my, you've got to love the irony of this - Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari is accused of trying to help terrorists in Afghanistan, and pleaded not guilty on Friday in a United States District Court in Manhattan to charges including terrorism financing, material support of terrorism, and money laundering. The kicker? He's also donated at least $15,000 to the House Republicans' Campaign Committee (HRCC) over the past three years!

Not only was he a donor, but according to a resume Alishtari has posted online, he was named a National Republican Senatorial Committee "Inner Circle Member for Life," even appointed to the NRCC's "White House Business Advisory Committee," and was the NRCC's NY state businessman of the year in both 2002, and 2003.

Given that he's been brought forward on charges of terrorism, you'd think the Republican party would, ya know, actually put some distance between themselves and this guy - WRONG!

The National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) and the Republican Congressmen they've helped to elect are still resisting calls to give back or donate to charity the money they received from an alleged terrorist financier.

Their decision to hold onto money linked to terrorism is all the more baffling considering the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has already donated the money they took from the indicted donor to charity.

So the GOP accepts donations from terrorists, while claiming that the Democratic party is the one who's "weak on terrorism." Right!!