Texas Businessman Funds Anti-Israel Super PAC Supporting NYC Candidates
Recent records reveal that a Texas businessman with pro-Palestinian views is bankrolling a super PAC focused on anti-Israel initiatives. This PAC is currently backing three progressive congressional candidates in New York.
Hussein “Sam” Mahrouq, who runs Enterprises International—known for brands like AutoMax and Dollar Rent-A-Car—has contributed $400,000 to American Priorities PAC. This group was established earlier this year with the aim of challenging the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
The PAC announced that it plans to invest $2 million in advertisements across TV, streaming services, and digital platforms, promoting House candidates Dalializa Avila Chevalier, Claire Valdez, and Brad Lander, all of whom are endorsed by Mayor Zoran Mamdani.
Interestingly, some notable donors to this PAC also played significant roles in financing Mamdani’s successful bid for the mayoralty last year.
Among them is Mohammad Waqas, a Muslim businessman based in New York, who invested $1 million after previously becoming the main supporter of the pro-Mamdani PAC, New Yorkers for Low Costs.
Additionally, Omer Hasan, a Silicon Valley investor, contributed at least $250,000 to the aforementioned PAC and matched that with another $1 million donation to American Priorities.
Mahrouq, meanwhile, also donated $2,100 to counter Mamdani’s campaign efforts in June of last year.
This Muslim-American businessman, who indicates his roots trace back to a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan, has donated tens of thousands of dollars to several left-wing politicians, particularly members of the “Squad,” like Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, over the past seven years.
Interestingly enough, his financial support has extended to anti-Israel Republicans as well.
For instance, he gave $500 to the campaign of Kentucky Congressman Thomas Masse, known for opposing U.S. arms sales to Israel, and also contributed thousands to former Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has been critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The three candidates receiving this PAC’s backing are openly pro-Palestinian and critical of Israel, highlighting a divide within the Democratic Party.
American Priorities plans to promote its candidates through ads featuring anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil and his wife, as noted by the New York Times.
Avila Chevalier has publicly protested against Israel alongside Khalil at Columbia University and has also made strongly anti-Israel statements on social media. For example, she declared in 2020 that “Israel does not exist!”
She is campaigning to unseat five-term incumbent Rep. Adrianno Espaira in New York’s 13th Congressional District during the June 23 Democratic primary.
While international politics hasn’t dominated this campaign, the Israeli-Palestinian issue has emerged as a significant topic in Lander’s attempt to oust incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman in the DSA-friendly 10th District, covering Brownstone Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan.
Moreover, Mahrouq donated $6,000 to AIPAC Citizens Against Corruption PAC in 2025, and he also contributed $1,000 last year to an anti-Zionist PAC led by Michael Rectenwald, a former New York University professor who previously titled a book “The Jewish Question” before it was renamed “The Cabal Question” by Amazon.
Rectenwald, known for his controversial stance on political correctness, has been noted for various inflammatory remarks on social media regarding Jewish influence.
Attempts to reach Mahrouq for comment went unanswered.
According to records, American Priorities’ treasurer is Mark Hanna, a political operative based in Brooklyn. The PAC is managed by Hannah Fertig, a progressive strategist affiliated with the Justice Democratic Group, which played a significant role in the election of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and supports Avila Chevalier.
