The developers for the Ground Zero mosque, now called Park51, have apparently run out of money for their project. On top of that, they owe more than $200,000 in back taxes. But not to worry. They’re applying for a $5 million federal grant.

Columnist Kyle-Anne Shiver describes the situation: “The grant money, if approved, will come from a special fund set aside for rebuilding the area around the Islamist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. And, of course, there are no restrictions on religious organizations applying for the taxpayer funding. The only requirement imposed by federal bureaucrats is that the structure, when complete, have some space allocated for non-religious purposes. The Ground Zero mosque plans include a ‘community center’ along with their Muslim prayer rooms.”

Previously, many had called for an investigation of the mosque’s funding because of possible terror-network ties. Of course, if the federal government ends up giving the developers $5 million, at least that question will be answered.

As for the back taxes, according to Jihad Watch, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf “claimed to operate a mosque that could hold 500 people, but in reality was an apartment that could not hold so many worshipers if they were crammed in like clowns in a Volkswagen. Rauf has filed a false tax return. He is a slumlord – the worst in Union City, New Jersey.”

In August, Barack Obama pontificated, “Let me be clear. As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances.”

The issue of rights was always a straw man. The real issue was rubbing salt in an open wound. Now that could be compounded by the fact that we’ll all be paying for it.