Vincent Tolliver, DNC chair candidate expelled for criticizing Islam, to file lawsuit

Vincent Tolliver reportedly plans to sue the Democratic National Committee for free speech violations after he was expelled from the race for party chair over his criticism of Islam.

Mr. Tolliver was recently ousted by interim DNC Chairwoman Donna Brazile after he told The Hill that Rep. Keith Ellison’s Muslim faith should disqualify him from the race.

“His being a Muslim is precisely why DNC voters should not vote for him. Muslims discriminate against gays. Islamic law is clear on the subject, and being gay is a direct violation of it,” Mr. Tolliver wrote in a Jan. 5 email. “Clearly, Mr. Ellison is not the person to lead the DNC or any other organization committed to not discriminating based on gender identity or sexual orientation.”

Ms. Brazile called Mr. Tolliver’s comments “disgusting” and said he violated a pledge, signed by each of the candidates, to “uphold the interests, welfare and success of the Democratic Party of the United States, and will participate in the DNC Future Forum in good faith.”

Mr. Tolliver now wants to sue the DNC for violating his First Amendment rights and “attempting to suppress my voice,” he told Breitbart News.

“The DNC and the Democratic establishment are attempting to prevent me from freely expressing known and indisputable tenets of lslamic law,” he told Breitbart. “Moreover, through sleight of hand tactics, interim chair Donna Brazile falsely accused me of discriminating against Mr. Ellison and cast aspersions by suggesting I was intolerant of religious freedom.

“Furthermore, the DNC’s blocking my candidacy is a glaring contradiction to the 2016 Democratic Platform, that ’as Democrats, we respect differences of perspective and belief, and pledge to work together to move this country forward, even when we disagree.’ I am a lifelong Democratic who believes in people and not power and elitism which has successfully corrupted the DNC and the Democratic Party,” he added.