After months of attacking his opponent for religious beliefs, Congressman Rob Wittman is denying any involvement in the formation of a political action committee involving a registered sex offender.

According to the Federal Elections Commission website, Congressman Rob Wittman, who represents Virginia’s First Congressional District, authorized the creation of a political action committee called “Muslims of United States of America PAC”. The PAC’s leader is Ahmad al-Ansari of Lakewood, Colorado, who is listed as a registered sex offender for sexually assaulting a child in 2003. 

Wittman’s opponent, human rights lawyer Qasim Rashid, is a devout Muslim, and Wittman has attacked Rashid for his faith multiple times in the past. Many are speculating that this PAC was created as a way for Wittman to indirectly attack his opponent’s faith.

The PAC’s website attacks Rashid for his Ahmadiyya faith.

The information gained the spotlight after being shared by Democratic campaign consultant Ben Tribbet on Twitter. 

The tweet caught the attention of one operative from the Lincoln Project, an organization run by former and current members of the Republican Party with the goal of preventing President Donald Trump from being reelected. 

Fred Wellman tweeted: “This is disappointing. Rob Wittman’s Democratic opponent is a Muslim American and now Rob has formed a PAC to go after that clearly. When you can’t win on your ideas as a party this is what you do.”

Wittman responded to Wellman’s tweet, saying, “This is 100% not factual. We have no association or knowledge of the PAC or person. We did not authorize this committee and we are working with the FEC to make the correction.”

Wellman deleted his tweet after Wittman’s response.

Though the initial filing says that Wittman authorized the PAC, his name was removed from the paperwork when the filing was amended on Monday. Wittman has yet to denounce the PAC, its leadership, or its attacks against Rashid.