CAIR, the lobby that claims to speak for America’s 7 million muslims, has suffered a dramatic decline in dues-paying members since the 9-11 attacks, tax records obtained by the Washington Times reveal.

CAIR’s membership dropped from nearly 29,000 in 2000 to 1,700 in 2006. Its budget from individual memberships also plummeted from $732,000 to $38,000 over the same period–despite a dues increase.

Several points emerge:

The incomparable Audrey Hudson does it again. Her report and her whole body of work exposing the “flying imams” and other outrages demonstrates the vital importance of investigative journalism. We need a 1000 more like Hudson. Her full article is here.

How can CAIR claim to speak for America’s Muslims when it has a smaller numbers than a Gay Pride parade? At 1,700, it represents less one-tenth of one percent of America’s Muslims. Why do so many radio and television producers give this marginal group a forum?

Despite its dramatic decline in members, its total budget has climbed from less than $1 million in 2000 to more than $3 million in 2006–thanks to some two dozen donors. Who are they? What is their agenda? Why did the IRS redact their names?

CAIR has recently been named as an “unindicted co-conspirator” by a federal investigators. Shouldn’t the tax-exempt status of this “civil rights group” be suspended until it is, ahem, cleared?

Finally, a lot of Americans owe their Muslim neighbors an apology. They had the good sense to leave CAIR after the 9-11 attacks, when the group’s agenda became clear. Where are the nation’s Muslims who want peace, tolerance and strong stand against terrorism? Well, 27,000 of them just voted with their wallets.