In a Sunday interview with Fox News’s Jacqui Heinrich, Minority House Leader Hakeem Jeffries defended his recent congratulations to NJ-12 Democratic primary winner Adam Hamawy, who is running to replace retiring Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman. Hamawy testified in defense of convicted 1993 bombing World Trade Center terrorist Omar Abdel Rahman in 1995 and was pals with the Al-Qaeda America-hating “blind sheikh.”

Heinrich read trial transcripts obtained by Fox News in which Hamawy, who defended Rahman, was quoted as discussing listening to the terrorist talk about jihad and how America is the enemy of Islam, and still maintaining a friendship.

“That doesn’t concern you?” Heinrich pressed. Jeffries responded by claiming ignorance of the documents and shifting blame to the White House and Republicans. Jeffries represents a district in Brooklyn, NY and is a life-long New Yorker.

“I haven’t spoken to him. He’s going to have to speak for himself and address these allegations,” he said. “And I certainly haven’t read the transcript that you just presented to me. But what I can say is that we as Democrats and Republicans, particularly in an environment right now where this is day 100 of Donald Trump‘s reckless and costly war of choice, have to be focused on ensuring that we always, at all times, protect the national security interests of the American people.”

Jeffries implied that the true national security issue was not terrorist sympathizers possibly gaining a foothold in Congress, but ensuring that the Senate voted to rescind the president’s war powers in Iran.

“As it relates to national security interests, I think front and center right now is ensuring that the Senate moves on the Democratic resolution that just passed the House of Representatives to actually end this reckless and costly war of choice,” he said.

Jeffries’ recent congratulations to Hamawy comes as the Democrat Party is under renewed scrutiny amid various scandals plaguing Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, including a Nazi tattoo, vilifying veterans, and past girlfriends making claims about misconduct. Platner is attempting to unseat vulnerable Republican Susan Collins.