Jay Street PAC Contributors

Dozens of Questionably "Pro-Israel" Contributors

2009-10-14T15:37:00.000-07:00

J Street's exec Jeremy Ben-Ami was recently asked in an interview about Arab-American and Iranian-American contributors to the organization.

“J Street does have some Arab and Muslim donors — about five,” Ben-Ami said. “These are individuals, not organizations, corporations or foreign countries. Well over 90 percent of our money comes from Jewish Americans and Christians.”

By Ben-Ami's admission, some ten percent of the funds for the purported "pro-Israel" organization comes from individuals who are certainly not "pro-Israel." Ten percent of J Street's annual budget comes to the very impressive amount of $300,000.

And there are many more than just "five." Below is a partial list taken from the U.S. Federal Elections Commission records of Arab and Muslim Americans and Iranian-Americans who contribute to J Street's Political Action Committee. There are dozens.

Ahmed Abdelsalam
Richard Abdoo, Leader of the Arab American Institute (AAI)
Rebecca Abou Chedid, Former Government Affairs director at the AAI
Wagih Abu-Rish, Arab American Community Coalition
Nidal Ayyat, from Dhahran Saudi Arabia
Theodore Kattouf, Former US ambassador, President of AMIDEAST
Ziad Khatib, Contributor to ANERA
Zahi Khouri Major Palestinian businessman, PADICO, Coca Cola franchise
Genevieve Lynch, Board member of NIAC, the Iranian lobby
Nabil Sater, Contributor to Arab American Leadership Council PAC
Magdi Badawy, “Stop the Occupation” activist
Farhan Bhatti, PR Director at an Islamic Center
Jerjis Alajaji, Graduate of American University of Beirut
Ali G. Adumaini, Saudi Arabia
Rajai Hakki, Syrian American. Blogs at “Arab-American Warrior Prince”
Ali Hasbani
Farhad Imam

Profile of J Street PAC Contributor, Ray Close

2009-10-04T07:57:00.000-07:00

Ray Close

Former CIA station chief in Saudi Arabia, serving over 20 years.

Business partner of Kamal Adham, former head of Saudi intelligence.

Father of Kenneth Close, registered foreign agent for the Saudis in Washington.

Last contribution to J Street PAC, $50 June 9, 2009.

Advocate for the "Saudi Peace Plan" for the Middle East.

Defender of Chas Freeman. Claims a "neo-con cabal" is trying to control Washington.

Profile of J Street PAC Contributor and Advisory Board Member, Judith Barnett

2009-09-30T09:13:00.000-07:00

Judith Barnett

Director of the Barnett Group, a trade consulting company in Washington that she began in 2003.

Registered with the U.S. Justice Department as a foreign agent for Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce in the Clinton Administration.

Author of a Washington Post article in 2004, A Mind-Bending Venture Into Saudi Gender Politics, in which Barnett painted a rosy picture of the misogynist Saudi Arabia.

One of the first contributors to the J Street PAC.

Profile of J Street PAC Contributor, Nancy Dutton

2009-08-23T02:36:00.000-07:00

Nancy Dutton

Lawyer for Dutton & Dutton, representing the Saudi Embassy in Washington (pictured with Saudi diplomat)

Widow and law partner of Fred Dutton, registered foreign agent for Saudi Arabia for almost 30 years. "Filings with the Justice Department show that he earned millions of dollars from the Saudis over the years. [Obituary, 20 05]"

Amounts given to J Street PAC, according to the FEC:
$125 6/26/08
$100 10/27/08

Profile of J Street PAC Contributor, Zahi Khouri

2009-08-23T01:52:00.000-07:00

Zahi Khouri

Born in Jaffa, fled in 1948, raised in Lebanon

Palestinian-American businessman and entrepreneur

Resident of Florida and the West Bank

Author of NY Times Op-Ed slamming Israel and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, September 8, 2009

Director, Palestinian Development and Investment Company (PADICO)

Chairman, Palestinian National Beverage Company (Coca-Cola franchise)

CEO of Paltel, Palestinian telecommunications company and cellular service provider

Signed 2002 petition against Palestinian suicide bombings

"Khouri has been an outspoken critic of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.... He has published editorials in major U.S. newspapers condemning Israeli practices and calling for equal rights for Palestinians."-- Wikipedia

Listed in FEC forms as "not employed"

Amount given to J Street PAC, according to the FEC: $100 contribution 6/10/09

Muslim Activists Who Contribute to J Street PAC

2009-08-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

Mehdi Alhassani

President of Muslim Students Association at George Washington University 2005-2006

Intern at the White House and Department of State

Fulbright Fellow in Jordan

Member, Arab American Institute

Occupation listed on FEC forms: Obama Campaign Staff

$40.00 Contribution 10/28/08

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Kasim Arshad

Former President, Muslim Cultural Students Association, Northwestern University

Cosigned letter to the editor with a Jewish student at Northwestern, calling for "respectful dialogue on campus regarding the Middle East. People from both sides must come together."

Co-President, South Asian Law Student Association (SALSA) of Washington University in St. Louis, 2008-2009

Listed in the FEC forms as "not employed"
$30.00 contributed 10/28/08

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Dr. Nabil Bayakly

Director, AnNoor Mosque and Muslim Community Center, TN

Instructor Arabic and Islam, University of Memphis

Originally from Lebanon

Chairman of Muslims in Memphis Organization

Arrested by Immigration Service and almost deported in 2003

Occupation listed on FEC forms: Assistant Professor, LeMoyne Owen College

$25.00 contribution 10/23/08

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Farhan Bhatti

Public Relations Director, Islamic Society of Greater Lansing MI

Chairman of "Malcolm X" Subcommittee on Lansing Mayor's Diversity Committee.

Bhatti "said the purpose of memorializing Malcolm X is to spread the values of peace, unity and love he preached late in his life. 'We want to educate the public about Malcolm X's true life,' Bhatti said." (City Pulse, September 12, 2007)

$30.00 Contribution, 6/17/08

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Mary El-Khatib

Writes for "Muslim Link"
Founder and teacher at the El-Iman Islamic Learning Center in Baileys Crossroads, Virginia
Listed as a "teacher" on the FEC forms
$20 contributed 10/05/08

Profiles of J Street PAC's Largest GiversGenevieve Lynch, leader of NIAC

2009-08-20T02:44:00.000-07:00

Genevieve Lynch -- $11,000

National Iranian American Council Board Member

President of the Pluralism Fund, "a coalition of independent philanthropists and representatives of family foundations that does grant work around Iran and in Pakistan."

President of the Kenbe Foundation, "whose mission is to support peace in the United States and internationally. The Kenbe Foundation does grant work in the United States, the Caribbean, South Asia, and the Middle East."

J Street Finance Committee with minimum donation of $10,000

Amounts given to J Street PAC, according to the FEC:

$10,000 9/24/08
$1,000 6/09/09

Profile of J Street PAC's Largest GiversKathleen Peratis

2009-08-17T17:23:00.000-07:00

Kathleen Peratis -- $15,250

Occupation: Attorney, Outten & Golden LLP

Location: New York

J Street Board of Advisors

Member of the Board of Trustees of the Human Rights Watch, former Vice Chair of the New Israel Fund.

Public positions: Staunch defender of HRW's attacks on Israel here, defender of the anti-Israel Durban II Conference on Human Rights here, defending the anti-Israel UN Human Rights Council here.

Notable quotation: "Contrary to Kathleen Peratis' assertion in her Aug. 30, 2006 [Washington Post] op-ed, 'Diversionary Strike On a Rights Group,' Israel does not abandon its moral principle in times of war." -- ADL's Abraham Foxman, Washington Post.

Amounts given to J Street PAC, according to the FEC:

$250 6/09/09

$5,000 4/27/09

$5,000 10/13/08

$5,000 6/15/08

Profiles of J Street PAC's Largest GiversRichard Abdoo, Arab American leader

2009-08-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

Richard Abdoo-- $11,000+

Occupation: Business Executive

Location: Wisconsin

America-Mideast Educational and Training Services Board of Directors

Arab American Institute Board of Governors

Arab American National Museum Board Member

American Task Force for Lebanon Executive committee
.One of 50 members of J Street's Finance Committee with a $10,000 minimum contribution.

Amounts given to J Street PAC, according to the FEC:

$250 6/11/09

$500 10/31/08

$11,000 9/26/08

Muslims, Arabs among J Street donors

2009-08-16T07:20:00.000-07:00

by HILARY LEILA KRIEGER, Jerusalem Post correspondent, THE JERUSALEM POST

The J Street political action committee has received tens of thousands of dollars in donations from dozens of Arab and Muslim Americans, as well as from several individuals connected to organizations doing Palestinian and Iranian issues advocacy, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

Additionally, at least two State Department officials connected to Middle East issues have donated to the PAC, which gives money to candidates for US Congress supported by J Street. The organization describes itself as a "pro-Israel, pro-peace" lobby pushing for more American involvement and diplomacy in resolving the Middle East conflictArab and Muslim donors are extremely rare for other organizations that describe themselves as supporters of Israel as J Street does ....Click to read full the article