US Muslim group demands records on Florida governor's communications with Israeli officials

​​​​​​​ISTANBUL

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) filed an open records demand Thursday with the US state of Florida, seeking communications between Gov. Ron DeSantis' office, Israeli government officials and "anti-Muslim hate groups."

CAIR said on US social media company X that it is seeking "any and all communications" related to DeSantis' "lawless and defamatory attack on CAIR-Florida and the Florida Muslim community."

CAIR’s Director of Government Affairs Robert McCaw accused DeSantis of having a "long history of close collaboration with anti-Muslim hate groups and Israeli government officials who have spent years trying to silence Americans advocating for Palestinian human rights."

"The people of Florida have a right to know whether Governor DeSantis collaborated with a foreign government or hate groups," said McCaw.

The demand follows DeSantis' designation of CAIR as a foreign terror organization. CAIR-Florida has vowed to fight the order, calling it unlawful and an escalating attack on civil rights advocacy in the state. DeSantis defended the designation and said he welcomed the lawsuit.

Texas also designated CAIR as a terror organization.

CAIR, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Washington, is the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group in the US.