Is this how Democrats prove to Americans that they’re tough on terror?

Chicago congressman Danny Davis and an aide took a trip to Sri Lanka last year that was paid for by the Tamil Tigers, a group that the U.S. government has designated as a terrorist organization for its use of suicide bombers and child soldiers, law-enforcement sources said.

Davis’ seven-day trip came under scrutiny this week following the arrests of 11 supporters of the organization on charges of participating in a broad conspiracy to aid the terrorist group through money laundering, arms procurement and bribery of U.S. officials.

Despite Davis’claim that this is just a simple misunderstanding, his own admission debunks that excuse:

Davis said he believed that the trip, from March 30 to April 5, 2005, was paid for by the Tamil federation, which in accordance with congressional ethics rules sent him a written statement of the travel expenses, more than $7,000 each for Davis and his aide, Daniel Cantrell. Davis said he knew that the group was “associated” with the Tamil Tigers but did not realize that the trip’s costs were covered with funds controlled by the rebel group.
…
Davis said he always assumed that the organization had a connection with the Tamil Tigers.

“I knew that they were associated with the Tamil Tigers, yes,” he said.

He knew the group funding his travel was “associated with” and “connected to” a terrorist organization. That should’ve been enough to pass on the trip, but he went anyway. What a statement that ought to send to voters.

Is this part of that “Democrats are tough on terror” campaign?