Rep. Ellison calls cops on Tancredo's cigar

Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn.

Rep. Tom Tancredo supported freshman Rep. Keith Ellison's controversial swearing-in on the Quran, but when the Colorado Republican wanted to relax in his office with a cigar, the Muslim Democrat's office called in the cops.

"It's very bizarre," Tancredo told The Hill newspaper. "Seemed to me not a good way to say hello."

The lawmakers have neighboring offices on the first floor of the Longworth House Office Building, the paper noted. Last Wednesday, about 6 p.m., Tancredo lit up as he was preparing for a trip to Mississippi. Shortly thereafter, an apologetic police officer walked into his office to inform him of the report.

The officer said the visit was a formality – he already had told Ellison that Tancredo was allowed to smoke in his office, The Hill reported.

Tancredo said he wouldn't quit.

"Heck, no!" the congressman said. "If [Ellison] would have (had) the courtesy to say something I'm sure I would have been more accommodating to his wishes."

Tancredo has never met Ellison and said he has no plans to change that soon.

"I'm sure we will (meet), but I'm not going to make a point (of it)," Tancredo told the paper.

Tancredo has three air purifiers in his office, but Ellison's press secretary, Rick Jauert, said when smoke began coming through the wall he called the superintendent's office, which referred him to the police.

Jauert said he then informed his boss what he had done.

Ellison said "fine," according to Jauert.

"He's complained of the smoke before."

Tancredo, widely regarded as the leading opponent of illegal immigration in Congress, announced last month he's taking a step toward a presidential run with the launch of an exploratory campaign committee.

Ellison drew fire last month for asking to take the constitutional oath on the Quran rather than the Bible at a swearing-in ceremony. As WND reported, the first Muslim member of Congress is linked to a radical Islamic school of thought that requires loyalty to the Quran over the U.S. Constitution.

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