Muslim Group With Controversial Terrorism Accusations Becomes Major Mamdani Donor

Public filings reveal that one of the largest financial boosters to Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign comes from a political action committee tied to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which is a group that some federal lawmakers have publicly accused of having significant connections to terrorist organizations.

Campaign finance reports show that the Unity and Justice Fund PAC contributed $120,000 to Mamdani. The PAC shares addresses, staff, and infrastructure with CAIR, according to data from the Federal Election Commission and watchdog organization OpenSecrets.

CAIR officials insist there is no formal relationship between the nonprofit and the PACs involved, though they declined to elaborate. The Unity and Justice Fund is led by Basim Elkarra, a former executive director of CAIR’s California chapter and treasurer of CAIR Action, a political arm focused on mobilizing Islamic voters. Unity Lab PAC, another group tied to CAIR’s California network, also donated over $23,000 this fall. Its president, Tasneem Manjra, also acts as a communications representative for CAIR Sacramento.

Activist Linda Sarsour, who has been described as an influential supporter of Mamdani, publicly stated that CAIR-backed PACs were essential in elevating him to the front of the mayoral race and suggested that most Muslim-American donor money had been routed through those groups. Following her remarks, CAIR later issued clarification, stressing that the PAC in question was only “endorsed” by CAIR, not controlled by it.

Elkarra has been criticized by pro-Israel groups for promoting the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement and equating Israel with apartheid-era South Africa. CAIR California, where he led for years, reported more than $17 million in donations in 2023, the largest of any CAIR chapter.

Manjra, who sits on the board of UNRWA USA, previously made headlines for threatening to pull her Girl Scout troop out of cookie sales unless the national organization walked back criticism of a Missouri troop that raised money for Gaza.

Members of Congress have urged the federal government to investigate CAIR’s nonprofit status and potential funding ties overseas. In a letter to the Treasury Department, Rep. Elise Stefanik and Sen. Tom Cotton pointed to a 2008 terrorism-financing prosecution in which the Holy Land Foundation and several leaders were convicted of supporting Hamas. During that trial, CAIR was named as an unindicted co-conspirator, and prosecutors alleged there were financial links between the groups. Cotton has also asked the IRS to revoke CAIR’s tax exemption, arguing their alleged connections should disqualify them.

Mamdani, who is a self-described democratic socialist, has faced renewed scrutiny over past public statements. In a rap song released in 2017 under his stage name "Mr. Cardamon," he expressed admiration for the “Holy Land Five,” the former foundation leaders convicted in the 2008 terrorism case, encouraging listeners to “look them up.” Mamdani has described the song as an expression of his Muslim upbringing in New York.

Promotional Content

Muslim Group With Controversial Terrorism Accusations Becomes Major Mamdani Donor