Now I’ve said in the past that I don’t care that Congressman Keith Ellison is a Muslim. I’m not offended that he took his oath of office using a Koran. And I personally consider it a wonderful thing that he went on the hajj this year.

However, Scott at Power Line bring up an interesting point today.

John Hinderaker wrote about the Star Tribune's puff piece by Mitch Anderson earlier this week on the pilgrimage of Minnesota Fifth District Rep. Keith Ellison to Mecca for the Muslim Hajj. The brief piece relied heavily on comments by Ellison spoksman Rick Jauert, who told Anderson "that Ellison paid for the journey himself." (Incidentally, the Star Tribune seems to have tinkered with the version of the story on which John commented)

Today the Star Tribune devotes a second puff piece by Anderson to Ellison's Hajj The rationale for another piece on the same subject is obscure. Apparently adding weight to Ellison's greatness in the eyes of the Star Tribune, Anderson quotes Ellison: "This is just me trying to be the best person I can be."

Anderson buries the sole item of journalistic interest at the end of the article. Anderson reports: "[Ellison's] expenses were paid for by the Muslim American Society of Minnesota." Despite the fact that it was Anderson himself who previously quoted Ellison's spokesman asserting that the trip was on Ellison's own nickel, Anderson drops the subject there.

Now I’m not going to delve into the prolems with the MAS or its various branches, the group’s origins or its somewhat alarming connections to some troubling groups abroad. Power Line does a great job of that later in the piece I’ve quoted above, and I won’t reproduce it here. Go read it there, and give them the traffic.

No, I’m concerned about another issue – one related to ethics. After all, democrats have for years raised questions about what Republican went where on what company or group’s dime. And there are, of course, some rather straightforward requirements on what can be accepted as well as when and how the travel must be reported on official disclosure forms. Not only that, but there are requirements for advance approval of such privately funded trips. Has Ellison complied with all those disclosure and reporting guidelines? I checked the House website, and there is no filing there. Do we have another potential ethical lapse by a House Democrat?