Sadiq Mateen, the father of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen, was sighted sitting behind Democratic presidential nominee Clinton during one of her Florida rallies this week, which now has been made a political issue by the rival Trump campaign.
The Clinton campaign has distanced itself from the father of the Orlando shooter, saying he was not invited for the rally.
"The rally was a 3,000-person, open-door event for the public. This individual wasn't invited as a guest and the campaign was unaware of his attendance until after the event," he said.
However, the Trump Campaign sought to make it a political issue after the video of the meeting went viral on social media.
"Everyone should sit back and say, what attracts this man to Hillary Clinton? What is it? What is she doing? I know what's attracted him. Her thought, position on Islamic extremist terrorism. The president never saying it. She was forced to say it because Donald trump criticised her so much," former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump surrogate, told Fox News.
"And the campaign, which is the least transparent campaign in history, meaning they hide things all the time, should tell us who put him there," Giuliani said.
"Secondly, here is the bigger question, what attracts him so much to Hillary Clinton. He has been going around carrying a sign about Hillary Clinton. What attracts a terrorist, which is what he is, this guy was on radio saying terrible anti- American things, supports the Taliban, this is a guy who said God should punish homosexuals.
After the rally, Mateen, who wore a red cap to the event, told NBC West Palm Beach-affiliate WPTV that he supports Clinton.
"Hillary Clinton is good for United States versus Donald Trump, who has no solutions," he was quoted as saying.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
