Tim Pawlenty: I shut down Sharia loan program

Former Minnesota Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

/ Win McNamee/Getty Images

The American Prospect on Friday published a story suggesting that likely Republican presidential candidate and former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty had worked "to increase minority homeownership by encouraging companies to offer Sharia-compliant mortgages."

The story claims that Pawlenty's push to increase minority homeownership while Minnesota governor led to the creation of "culturally sensitive" financing programs that helped Muslims avoid paying interest on home loans. Many Muslims who follow Sharia law, or strict Islamic law, believe they are not permitted to pay or charge interest.

Asked about the story, Pawlenty spokesman Alex Conant said that Pawlenty did not encourage the Sharia loan program. To the contrary, Conant said, Pawlenty ended it once he found out it existed.

"This program was independently set up by the MN state housing agency and did not make any mention Sharia Law on its face, but was later described as accommodating it," he said in an email. "As soon as Gov. Pawlenty became aware of the issue, he personally ordered it shut it down. Fortunately, only about three people actually used the program before it was terminated at the Governor's direction."

For a GOP presidential candidate, any association with Sharia law is politically perilous: More than a dozen states are considering banning Sharia, which some conservatives fear being imposed on America. 

Two weeks ago, former Sen. Rick Santorum, who will likely be one of Pawlenty's rivals in the fight for the Republican nomination, called Sharia "evil" and "incompatible with American jurisprudence and our Constitution." Another likely rival, former House speaker Newt Gingrich, said last year that "[w]e should have a federal law that says Sharia law cannot be recognized by any court in the United States." 

The fears of Sharia have been fanned by Fox News and conservative talk radio and websites, and they seemed to grow in conjunction with the controversy over the planned New York Islamic center that came to be known as the "Ground Zero mosque." Last August, Dick Morris said on Fox News that the cultural center will be used to "train and recruit Sharia law advocates who become terrorists."

Earlier this week in Florida, a judge ruled that a Sharia law could govern a civil dispute over a mosque between Muslims, likely generating more debate around the issue. (Florida is one of the states with anti-Sharia legislation under consideration.)  As it turns out, U.S. courts regularly recognize religious-based contracts (whether Islamic, Jewish, Christian or anything else) so long as they don't violate state or federal law.

But with conservatives warning that America is at risk of coming under the control of Sharia, the story tying Pawlenty to the Sharia-compliant home loan program amounted to a headache for the former governor. Conant, his spokesman, told Ben Smith that the former governor does not believe Sharia or any other religious law should hold sway in America.

"The United States should be governed by the U.S. Constitution, not religious laws," he said.

[plainolamerican]

Pawlenty is a myth believing zionist and homophobe who should be ignored.

[Independent1290]

Pawlenty is just yapping his jaw again. He throws out the insults but when it comes to facing his opponents face-to-face, cowers down. Pawlenty, you're not going to be the nominee; you have no spine. Save your time and energy and stop talking about your "accomplishments", like driving Minnesota off of a cliff.

[bpicolin]

I am in training as a Lutheran Pastor. Addled thinking is at work here. Interest free loans are the way to go - and this principle, the law against usury, is Biblical, both Jewish, Christian and Muslim. I'm afraid that the miseducated Pawlenty is going against God's law in all its manifestations. I think we know where that will leave him.

[dcgal2010]

This is insanity. The religious laws regarding usury go back to both Islamic and Jewish practice. It's not new information. In fact, some sharia lending practices are much simpler and fairer for the consumer than current lending practices with regular banks. Additionally, within the orthodox Jewish community you have the power of the beit din to act as mediator in civil disputes so that those disputes, if agreed to by both parties, are done in a way consistent with Jewish law. Islamic lending is no different. This hysteria over Islamic practice will do more, in the long run, to develop ill-will in the hearts of good people who just want to observe their religious practices.

[Familyof6]

This news story is sadly leaving out most of the substantive facts. When did it get implemented... exactly how? Did anyone in his office know or could or should have known? When did these 3 loans occur? When did he find out about it? How did he find out about it? When was it shut down? Is there ANY documentation to back any of the dates up? Where is the journalism?????????? Yikes!!!

[nearl451]

I know a bit about Minnesota Politics.

Pawlently is like this story: manufactured = phony.

[bradkt1]

So glad to hear that you were tought on those Muslims Tim (sarcasm intended).

You should be ashamed of yourself.

[sandyhansen]

look what they advise us; Try Sharia Law in Arizona to clean your state from drug dealers and criminals. Implement Sharia in Arizona against Latin Drug dealers apply stoning to dead and against Illegal migrant just lashing and thieves cut their hands and show it on TV... http://www.sharia4america.com/story.php?sid=36

[pasha128]

Sandy Hansen; what part of the following sentence written in English in the article do you not comprehend? "As it turns out, U.S. courts regularly recognize religious-based contracts (whether Islamic, Jewish, Christian or anything else) so long as they don't violate state or federal law." To violate that principle is a violation of the First Amendment to the US Constitution and will get any law seeking to do so overturned in federal courts. By the way in case you don't realize it "stoning", killing and dismembering an individual is illegal in this country regardless of your choice of religious beliefs.

[nearl451]

Tool, you have spotted it exactly. This is a self-serving fabrication of a story.

Luckily, likely independent voters rate Timmy @ 5%

[6591Hou]

A loan with no interest rate is just a flat loan, the loan amount is increased to cover what would have been the interest - offer it to everyone and then there's no issue. Let the borrower know that they will not be eleigible to deduct mortgage interest and see who knocks at the dorr.

[noloyalisti]

Do these knuckleheaded Republican idiots realize just how stupid and ignorant they sound to all of us? What rock did this pathetic moron crawl out from. How does someone this ridiculous and gullible even sniff public office? I guess he was bought into his position by his corporate masters to help them rape and pillage America for their own greed. That is the Republican way in a nutshell.

[Cowcharge]

Hey dimwit, are you going to just copy and paste this same comment on every CBS story whether it applies to the story or not? Talk about morons... You need to address your obvious self-esteem issues and that whopper of an inferiority complex. Get some help.