Funding Controversy Surrounds PAC Backing NYC Mayoral Candidate

A political action committee (PAC) supporting New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is under scrutiny due to its connections with a New Jersey-based Palestinian group that has links to a designated terrorist organization. The PAC, known as We the People, America For All, has spent over $36,000 on advertising to promote Mamdani’s proposal for free bus fares, according to city campaign finance records.

The PAC’s major donor is identified as The Truth Project, which is led by attorney Abed Awad. Awad is a prominent figure in the Palestinian-American Community Center in Clifton, New Jersey, and serves as the treasurer for the PAC. The community center has previously faced criticism for hosting events featuring individuals linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a group recognized by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization. Notably, the center’s president, Diab Mustafa, was among the founding trustees of The Truth Project.

The PFLP has garnered attention for its involvement in violent acts, including the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. In April, the Palestinian-American Community Center drew backlash for featuring a livestream address by Wisam Rafeedie, a long-time PFLP member. The center has also promoted Rafeedie’s publications and hosted events featuring figures from Samidoun, which several countries, including the U.S., Canada, Germany, and Israel, have labeled as a front for the PFLP.

This controversy has raised alarms among experts monitoring political extremism. The Network Contagion Research Center noted that the PAC’s focus on a popular issue like public transportation fares might be a strategic maneuver to gain legitimacy. Alex Goldenberg, a senior advisor at the center, remarked, “These actors are engaging in entryism by adopting a popular, non-controversial issue not because it reflects their true mission, but because it gives them an easy way to gain legitimacy and a foothold in electoral debates.”

In addition to its controversial ties, the PAC has connections to the “Uncommitted” movement, which caused divisions within the Democratic Party in 2024. The movement aimed to sway Arab-American voters away from supporting candidates like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, particularly regarding their policies on Israel. Awad’s son, Ahmad, was a delegate for the Uncommitted campaign, and Mohammed “Mo” Maraqa, a co-founder of The Truth Project, played a significant role in the campaign as the lead digital strategist for the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

As questions surrounding the funding for the pro-Mamdani advertisements persist, the PAC has not disclosed the sources of its financial backing, indicating that it has not yet reached the donation thresholds requiring transparency. Maraqa stated that the PAC has not spent enough to trigger disclosure rules mandated by the New York City Campaign Finance Board, which declined to comment on the matter.

Awad maintains that the PAC adheres to all relevant regulations and insists that the organizations involved are independent of each other. He stated, “The Truth Project has had no further role, financial or otherwise, in the PAC’s activities beyond what has already been publicly disclosed to the applicable authorities.” He added that neither the Palestinian-American Community Center nor the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee has any financial or governance involvement with the PAC.

Maraqa also distanced himself from the PFLP, asserting, “I am in no way associated, nor have I ever been associated with PFLP/Samidoun and of course denounce the group and every other terrorist organization which participated in October 7th or any other attack on civilians.”

This unfolding situation highlights the complex interactions between political funding, advocacy groups, and the implications of their affiliations, as the mayoral race in New York City intensifies.