"I was not involved in nor did I authorize the creation or dissemination of this material nor had any knowledge of its existence until reported by the media," Steele writes in a letter to Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington executive director Ron Halber dated Nov. 22, more than two weeks after Election Day.

"The content of this flyer in no way represents by [sic] beliefs or opinions," he continues, adding that he stands in opposition to the flier's "intolerance and insensitivity."

The flier, titled "Ben Cardin Exposed!" stated that "Ben Cardin Promises to attack Jesus Christ, Pastors, Churches and Christians and to Take Away Blacks' Freedom If He Is Elected." It also lists some issues, including same sex marriage and abortion, and states that Steele is "for what Jesus says" and Cardin is "against what Jesus says."

Halber was pleased that that the lieutenant governor had formally denounced the campaign literature, but did note the length of time that had elapsed since the election.

"We do wish the response would have been more timely," said Halber, but "better late than never."

Halber said he discussed the flier in a phone call with Steele two days after the election, during which he encouraged the Republican Senate candidate to publicly speak out against it.

The leaflet was distributed in the days before the election by a group called Take a Stand for Christ. Calling the phone number at the bottom of the flier connects to a voice message on which a woman states, "We hope you enjoyed your article 'Ben Cardin Exposed,' " asks callers to leave contact information and encourages them to vote for Steele.

The flier, according to The Washington Post, was produced and disseminated by Emma Jean Thompson, co-pastor at Integrity Church International in Landover, who, as a supporter of Steele, attended a news conference held the day before the election. Thompson did not return a message for her left at her church.

Halber said many people were angered by the missive's language and that "it had to be answered."

Waskow joins protest

A rabbi joined a Reagan National Airport pray-in Monday to protest alleged anti-Muslim discrimination. Rabbi Arthur Waskow, head of the Shalom Center, joined with imams and ministers near the US Airways terminal to protest an incident last week in which six Muslim clerics were banned from a US Airways flight because they made another passenger nervous by praying in the waiting area.

"I will do my best to fly on airlines other than USAir until USAir fully apologizes to the imams and makes full recompense to them. Then we will know that in America, we do not act this way," Waskow said in a statement.

Security officials told The Washington Times this week that various acts by the imans combined to make suspicion of their behavior warranted. These acts included changing airplane seats and allegedly making remarks about al-Qaeda.

Agudath: Mistake by court on Maine case

Agudath Israel is criticizing the Supreme Court for declining to hear a case protesting the exclusion of religious schools from the Maine school choice program.

The "exclusion [of religious education] from the Maine voucher program ‹ and the inability of religious families to use this assistance as they see fit ‹ conveys a distinct message of discrimination and inequity," said Agudath Washington director and counsel Abba Cohen. "Moreover, limiting the scope of school choice programs deprives these avenues of educational reform from living up to their potential."

Jewish groups join AIDS commemoration

The National Council of Jewish Women and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism are scheduled to join other faith-based and secular groups on Friday morning to commemorate World AIDS Day and protest U.S. HIV prevention policies.

"For Whom the Bell Tolls: A Resounding Vigil," on Friday at 9 a.m. in front of the Foundry United Methodist Church in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, will feature a ringing of church bells every five seconds to mark a new HIV infection or AIDS death every five seconds.

And participants in the event will advocate for the PATHWAY Act (Protection Against the Transmission of HIV to Women and Youth),which would eliminate the law that must earmark one-third of all HIV prevention funding to programs advocating abstinence until marriage.

Program too religious,

say Jewish groups

Jewish groups have filed a brief against government funding for an Iowa prison inmate rehabilitation program. The American Jewish Committee and Anti-Defamation League filed the amicus brief last week with the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in a case challenging the Iowa Department of Corrections' Innerchange program.

The state-funded program endorses evangelical Christianity, proselytizes inmates and discriminates against those who do not accept the belief system, the brief says.

A lower court ruled that the program was unconstitutional and "so infused with religion that it is impossible to separate its sectarian from nonsectarian functioning."

U.S. to addresscluster bombs

The United States will play an active role in discussions about international law and the use of cluster bombs. The announcement came in a State Department release on last week's conference of nations, which are signatories to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

The conference dealt mostly with land mines, but human rights groups pressured members to address cluster munitions because of concerns arising out of Israel's war with Hezbollah. Both sides have been charged with war crimes for using the munitions, and at least a dozen Lebanese, mostly children, allegedly have been killed by U.S.-manufactured cluster bombs left behind by Israel.

The State Department statement did not cite the war, but said it joined in "agreeing to a meeting in the Convention's framework, focused primarily on cluster munitions, including their technical aspects and the applicable law. The United States intends to participate actively in this meeting."

No pressure from Iraq Study group, say officials

Jewish and Israeli officials who have consulted with members of the Iraq Study Group say fears of pressure on Israel are unwarranted, and that the group is mindful of Bush administration priorities in the region, including strong support for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government.

The Iraq Study Group, co-chaired by former Secretary of State James Baker and former Rep. Lee Hamilton of Indiana, is to present its conclusions before year's end to the White House.

"All the indications are they are not going to put a great emphasis on Israel-centric issues," said one pro-Israel official, who has consulted with members of the group and who asked not to be identified because of the issue's sensitivity.

Leaks suggesting pressure on Israel came from advisers to the group who were repeating their own advice to the media in an effort to game the process, the official said.

‹ by Eric Fingerhut, with reports from Ron Kampeas of JTA