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New York Times reporter James McKinley Jr., who last garnered the Times Watch spotlight for cheering on the Democratic candidate for governor of Texas, returns on Monday with a dismissive story on a ballot measure in Oklahoma, a pre-emptive ban on implementation of Muslim shariah law in the state: “ Oklahoma Surprise: Islam as an Election Issue — Ballot Measure on Shariah Law Fueled a Political Clash .” The thrust of McKinley’s Monday piece favored the opponents of the measure, displayed in two large photos that accompanied the story that led the paper’s National section: A photo of State Rep. Cory Williams, who narrowly won re-election after opposing the plan, and residents of a local Islamic Society in head scarves. The Times also proved itself to be cozy with the controversial Muslim interest-group CAIR , the local branch of which successfully sued the state to block the measure from going into effect. That detail begs a question the Times didn’t raise: If the amendment is that meaningless, what stirred CAIR to file a lawsuit? Left-wing city councils make pompous declarations against the U.S. military and on international affairs all the time (boycotting South Africa used to be popular) without stirring up liberal media ridicule. McKinley’s sympathies were clear from the outset: read more