Two delegates to the recent Republican Party of Texas State Convention, who were the subject of attempts to have their credentials revoked after they were linked to a group that Governor Abbott has designated as a foreign terrorist organization, have made donations to Democrats in recent months.
Tarek Hussein, who founded the Houston chapter of the Council on Islamic-American Relations (CAIR), donated $1,000 to Democrat Congressman Al Green’s unsuccessful re-election campaign in April. Hussein also donated $1,000 to Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar last year and $6,600 to Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib in 2024.
Green has made national headlines for disrupting President Trump’s most recent State of the Union addresses, while Omar and Tlaib are members of “The Squad” – a group of some of the most liberal members of Congress.
Amjad Muhtaseb, the Executive Director of the Muslim American Society – Houston, who spoke at a press conference sponsored by CAIR to condemn Governor Abbott’s designation of CAIR as a foreign terrorist organization, donated $100 to Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in October.
El-Sayed, who is endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders and other far-left leaders, has called for the abolition of ICE and the creation of a “Medicare for All” healthcare system.
At several points during the Texas GOP convention, attempts were made to have Hussein and Muhtaseb’s delegate credentials revoked due to their links to CAIR. However, these attempts were ruled out of order since the Texas GOP rules did not allow for credentials to be revoked on that basis. The convention did amend Party rules to allow the revocation of credentials in similar situations in the future.
Hussein and Muhtaseb were profiled in several media reports regarding the convention – reports that CAIR then used to advance a narrative that the Texas GOP promotes “anti-Muslim hate.”
In a joint statement, CAIR-Texas and CAIR Action Texas said:
“What we witnessed at the convention was a dangerous normalization of anti-Muslim hate that undermines the foundational American principles of religious freedom and democratic representation. Texas is our home. Texan Muslims, like all Texans, have an inherent right to participate in our democracy. Weaponizing conspiracy theories and pushing platform language that selectively restricts the religious liberties of one faith group fundamentally undermines the rule of law and the constitutional liberties of all Texans. Hate and exclusion are not winning strategies.”
“We call upon all elected officials, regardless of political party, to stand on principle and publicly condemn this toxic rhetoric. Leaders from across the political spectrum must make it clear that religious bigotry and the institutional targeting of public servants and grassroots residents have absolutely no place in Texas politics.”
Tarek Hussein’s adult son, Mohamed Hussein, attended the convention as a guest and was also featured in media reports. One Texas Tribune article included an account from Mohamed Hussein about being brought to tears after an exchange with the leader of a Christian advocacy organization, while a Texas Monthly article described Mohamed Hussein as a “small government conservative” and “sterling Republican.”
Like his father, Mohamed Hussein has financially supported Democrat politicians. He donated $1,500 to Al Green in April and $2,500 to Abdul El-Sayed in October.
