DEARBORN — After a four-month prolonged investigation, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) announced on Friday, Sept. 27, it had “insufficient evidence” to make a conclusive determination on whether ADC-MI Regional Director Imad Hamad had sexually harassed several women at his workplace. 

Five days later, ADC officials issued conflicting statements, as to who determined the evidence to be “insufficient,”

In a press release, on Oct. 2, ADC said the investigator made the determination.

However, two ADC officials told The Arab American News, both before and after the press release was issued, that the determination was made “exclusively” by the ADC National Board of Directors, and the investigator “did not render any legal counsel, did not make any determinations, and did not recommend any course of action.” 

Hamad was placed on administrative leave by ADC last June, after State Representative Rashida Tlaib sent an open letter to the organization, claiming that he had sexually harassed her when she had briefly worked at ADC’s Dearborn office 15 years ago. Tlaib’s letter claimed that she had made previous attempts to inform the national office about subsequent victims, but those attempts had failed to warrant an investigation into the matter.

After Tlaib’s letter surfaced, several other women, including former ADC-MI deputy director Rana Abbas, who worked with Hamad came forward with their own claims.

ADC said in a statement: “An external review of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee’s (ADC) Michigan office, performed by an independent third party, led by an experienced Michigan attorney, has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to make a conclusive determination, supporting allegations of harassment since 2007.”

The organization also stated that Imad Hamad will no longer lead the ADC-MI office, but will remain on staff, as an adviser to the office, during a transitional phase that will allow him to hand over responsibilities to attorney Abed Ayoub, who will serve as the interim director of the office. The statement did not set a time frame for the transitional period.

Ayoub is a Dearborn native and also serves as national legal director of ADC. 

The ADC Michigan office experienced some setbacks this month, after a few advisory board members announced their resignations, claiming that there has been a lack of transparency with the national office. The annual Judges Night Gala that the group hosts has also been postponed.

Attorney Mariam Bazzi, the latest ADC-MI Advisory Board member to resign, submitted her resignation following the national organization’s decision last Friday.

“There was a lack of transparency in the investigation,” she told The Arab American News. 

She added that her resignation is not against the principles of ADC, but rather a statement against the way the national office handled the investigation.

“I want to emphasize that I still respect members of the local board and believe in the objectives and mission of ADC, but I urge the national office to reflect on what happened and continue doing what they were founded to do, which is to protect the civil rights of all people,” she said.

The former ADC-MI board member stressed that sexual harassment is not an Arab American issue, but a universal issue that needs to be addressed in all cultures.

Following the ADC’s decision, Tlaib issued a statement, demanding the release of the investigation report.

Tlaib told The Arab American News that Theresa Gorman, the local attorney who conducted the investigation, issued a verbal disclaimer to the women she collected statements from, saying that she was on a fact-finding mission, and that her report would not spell out a conclusion, or give recommendations.

Tlaib added that she knows that the attorney did not come up with the term “inconclusive.”

Tlaib.

“By saying the evidence was inconclusive, ADC is saying the women, who came forward are liars. They are re-victimizing them,” she said. “It is utter disrespect to these women–the employees, and interns and clients — who were grabbed and harassed by Hamad.”

Tlaib said she does not know the exact number of women whose statements were collected in the investigation.

“The number is more than seven, but one woman should be enough,” she said.

The state representative criticized community leaders, who did not change their attitude towards Hamad after the sexual harassment claims became known.

“Some people were unfortunately sympathetic with him,” she said. “Leaders were allowing him into events and taking pictures with him and uploading them on social media, as if this whole thing never happened. The victims felt the community was not on their side. “

Tlaib went on to describe horrific sexual acts allegedly committed by Hamad against girls who worked at ADC-MI.

“It is all in the report. This was not consensual,” she said. “It was wrong to turn our back on these women.”

Tlaib said the investigator verified that all of the women she spoke to had worked at ADC, or had come into contact with Hamad as clients.

She added that at least two women told the investigator of sexual harassment incidents that allegedly took place after 2011.

“Prove me wrong, and release the report,” she dared the leaders of the civil rights organization.

Tlaib said ADC’s decision to keep Hamad as an adviser must have to do with the organization’s internal politics, rather than the findings of the report.  

“Maybe he knows something about ADC and they fear firing him,” Tlaib suggested

Tlaib said Dr. Safa Rifka, the chairman of the ADC national board, holds the most power in the organization, and he was probably the one behind the decision.

The Arab American News attempted to reach Rifka several times, but he did not respond. 

Tlaib added that the ADC has lost its integrity by not being accountable and fair to the victims. 

She also criticized donors, who continue to fund the organization.

“Shame on any donor, who continues to support an organization with a sexual predator on board,” she said angrily. 

Faye Moslimani, of Wixom, is one of the women, who made statements against Hamad to the investigator. 

Moslimani says when she went to ADC in 2007 to complain about racial discrimination by her employer, she was harassed by Hamad, who grabbed her and tried to kiss her, until she pushed him away and ran to the elevator.

“I was a Lebanese American girl, who was mistreated by ADC, which was supposed to protect me,” she said. “I was shocked. I had no invitation for this man to do that. He got away with it because he is a man of power.”

When Tlaib made her letter to the ADC public four months ago, Moslimani saw a report on the matter on Channel 7. She reached Tlaib through the local TV station.

Moslimani said she told her story to the investigator, who got her contact info from Tlaib.

She added that she shared her story with the media to encourage other victims of sexual harassment to come forward.

“I am a very independent women,” explained Moslimani. “I wanted to help women who were assaulted and are afraid to come forward. Every woman can be a victim in the future. The system is broken.”

Tlaib stated that she initially did not want to drag the community into court, but she is now urging women, who were allegedly harassed and are within the statute of limitations on sexual harassment in Michigan, to press legal charges against Hamad.

The state representative added that ADC’s decision will make it harder for any woman to fight back against sexual harassment at the workplace.

“They gave a green light for sexual predators to go after our young and vulnerable women,” she said.

Bazzi said she hopes that what happened with ADC will not discourage victims from coming out against sexual harassment.

“My hope is that women look at the strength of women, like Rashida Tlaib, and mimic their actions,” explained the former ADC-MI advisory board member, who is also the president of The Arab American Politcal Action Committee (AAPAC).

ADC issued a statement, suggesting that Tlaib was not honoring attorney-client privileges by demanding the release of the investigation report.

“The independent investigator determined there was inconclusive evidence of sexual harassment,” the statement read. “ADC’s obligation and policy are to protect the privacy of all individuals involved and respect the sensitive nature of their complaints. Publicly disclosing the substance of their private conversations would also violate attorney-client privileges. It is crucial to emphasize that all the parties interviewed, including Mr. Hamad, agreed to abide by the process and the subsequent findings of the independent investigator. Now that the investigation is complete, several are not honoring that agreement, as the findings are not to their liking.”

ADC national board member Dr. Souheil E. Elia confirmed that the investigator was not asked to, nor did she provide any conclusions to the national office on the matter; information that is contrary to the ADC statement, which claimed the attorney “determined there was no conclusive evidence of sexual harassment.”

The Arab American News attempted to contact the investigator through email and phone but failed to reach her by press time. 

Ayoub reaffirmed that the ADC’s statement was false.

“After conducting a comprehensive fact-finding investigation, she [the investigator] rendered a written report to ADC National containing only factual information and documentation provided by the various participants.  Contrary to the previous press release and media reports, she did not render any legal counsel, did not make any determinations, and did not recommend any course of action.  The decisions made at the close of the investigation were made exclusively by the ADC National Board of Directors,” he said.

When The Arab American News requested an interview with Ayoub, he asked that all interview questions be sent to him via email. 

Ayoub gave a timeline of the events and explained ADC’s policies, but did not respond to the specific questions asked by the paper, even though he had confirmed receiving them.

“ADC abides by due process, and this is the same principle it applies daily as a leading civil rights organization.  In this society, people are innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately, ADC questions the motives and agendas of those who seek to discredit the process ADC followed, reported by a highly credible and impartial attorney,” he wrote in an email.

Elia said the decision to demote Hamad and keep him as an adviser was taken unanimously by the national board.

“There was nothing held secret,” he added. “The decision was done in total transparency, and every board member had a full copy of the investigation report, even the correspondence between the ADC and the attorney was made available to the board.”

However, Elia said the investigation was internal and private and cannot be made public, based on the confidential relationship between the attorney and the client.

“The report is not public record. Until it is brought in court, we cannot release the investigation,” he said.

Elia said the report included statements from women, who accused Hamad of sexual harassment, along with contradictory statements from Hamad and his lawyer, who denied the accusations, so it was the word of the alleged victims versus Hamad’s word.

“We cannot be asked to act as a court,” he continued. “We could neither confirm, nor deny the statements made by Imad, or the women accusing him. How can we tell who is telling the truth? Only a court of law can.”

Elia said that if the women involved had pressed legal charges, the ADC would have acted in accordance with a court conviction on any level.

He added that the ADC would be accused of discriminating against Hamad if he is to be fired without “concrete proof,” adding that the organization acted in accordance with its principles and the U.S. Constitution, by perceiving Hamad innocent until proven guilty.

Elia said he does not recall the number of women, who issued statements against Hamad in the report. But he said some statements were not signed and others referred to actions allegedly committed ten years ago.

However, Elia added that the number of women who came forward does not confirm Hamad’s guilt.

“The question is not how many women. One would be enough. It is not acceptable and would not be tolerated. But we needed evidence. Simply because many women are saying it, it does not make it true,” he said.

Elia said he cannot disclose his personal verdict on who is telling the truth, but while the women’s accusations could be true, they also could have motives to frame Hamad.

He added that he sympathizes with the women, whose cases should be made in court, but ADC could not act beyond the limitations of the law.

He praised Tlaib’s success, as a state representative, describing her as a “role model” to Arab women.

“You feel bad about harassment, but on the other hand you ask, where is the proof? You also ask, why didn’t you take it to court when it happened?” Elia added.

Tlaib, however, said that many victims were fearful to speak out in the immediate aftermath of the alleged harassment, and that Hamad took advantage of their young age and knew that it was hard for women to speak out against sexual harassment in the Arab American community.

“Many of these girls were having their first internships, and their lives were completely changed. They were having nervous breakdowns from a hostile work environment, created by a supposed father figure. The girls were shocked and did not know what to do,” she explained. “People should understand why they wouldn’t go public.”

She added, “You would think that an Arab American organization would understand the stigma that follows a woman in our community when sexual harassment and assault are involved. We have seen it time and time again, women are made at fault, not men.”

Elia denied accusations that ADC does not care about the situation.

“On behalf of the board, I can tell you that every single member agrees that no form of harassment will be allowed at any ADC office,” he said. “But the investigation does not lead to conclusions supported by law. We are not judges. There were statements against a person and that person denied them.”

He added, “We came here and chose to be Americans. We must comply with American law.”

Elia said that the national office worked “day and night” to make sure that justice is maintained.

“Every woman has a right to be respected. They have every right to demand justice. But if they don’t follow the law, we can’t fight on their behalf. They have to fight for themselves in accordance with the law. We only fight for ADC principles, and we hope to continue fighting for those principles,” Elia concluded. 

Former ADC-MI Regional Director, Imad Hamad.

Attorney Shereef Akeel, Hamad’s lawyer, said the situation is not “one side against another,” and the investigation was not a triumph for Hamad. 

“There are no winners here,” he said. “The allegations caused substantial harm to Imad and his family, ADC, the community and the cause.”

Akeel added that he does not know whether the investigator provided conclusions, or only facts to the board, but stressed that the investigation was independent and Hamad was fully cooperative with it.

“She [the investigator] interviewed everybody, including Hamad,” he said.

The lawyer said Hamad could no longer serve as the director of ADC-MI, even though the evidence against him was considered insufficient.

“The allegations damaged his ability to perform his job,” he explained. “ADC was ready to move forward, but wanted to benefit from Imad’s experience in some way.”

Rifka and Ayoub, along with The ADC Judges Night Committee, will discuss recent developments and the future of the organization in a meeting on Tuesday, Oct 8, at 5:30 p.m. at 1630 Porter Street in Dearborn.