New York Republican Rep. Peter King has opened the second session of his series of House Homeland Security Committee hearings into the “radicalization” of the American Muslim community. Tuesday’s hearing focused on whether Muslims are falling prey to so-called “radical ideology” in U.S. prisons. In his opening statement, King defended the scope of his hearings.

Rep. Peter King: “I have repeatedly said that the overwhelming majority of Muslim Americans are outstanding Americans. Yet, the first radicalization hearing, which this committee held in March of this year, was met by much mindless hysteria, led by radical groups such as the Council of Islamic Relations and their allies in the liberal media, personified by the New York Times. Countering Islamic radicalization should not be a partisan issue.”

Critics have described the hearings as a modern-day form of McCarthyism designed to stoke fear against American Muslims. In a rebuke of King, Democratic Rep. Laura Richardson of California said the focus on Muslims is an act of racism.

Rep. Laura Richardson: “I don’t disagree, as Mr. Dunleavy said, that radicalization in fact occurs in prisons with various groups. What I disagree with—and I would say again, with all due respect to the chairman—is the scope of this committee’s only focusing on one particular group. I actually believe that the focus of one particular group on the basis of race or religion can be deemed as racist and is discriminatory.”