PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Osama Siblani                                                      313-582-4888

Arab Americans seek apology from McCain campaign

DEARBORN — The McCain presidential campaign made a major strategic error this week insulting the Arab American community when it cut a community leader and politically active Arab American Republican from its Michigan finance committee. The decision to remove Mr. Ali Jawad from the campaign effort came after protestations from a discredited blogger known for her hate language and ignorant rants against Arab Americans, American Muslims, the religion of Islam and American officals and public figures with whom she disagrees.

On Monday at 2:30 p.m., the leadership of the Arab American community held a press conference at the Lebanese American Heritage Club, 4337 Maple Road, in Dearborn to call on the McCain campaign for an apology for their hasty and insulting decision.

Ali Jawad

Ali Jawad, president of Armada Oil & Gas Company and founder of the Lebanese American Heritage Club, was cut from the campaign because of rumors begun by the discredited blogger that he has ties to Hizbullah. Jawad was one of six finance committee members listed in an invitation for a $2,300-per-ticket McCain fund-raising event next week at the Orchard Lake home of Compuware Corp. founder and Chief Executive Officer Peter Karmanos.

“The Michigan Republican Party and the McCain campaign need to be reminded that the blood of Arabs is red and the color of their money is green,” said Osama Siblani, president of the Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC). “Mr. Jawad came to this country to live the American dream. He has been highly successful and has given much back to the community. This very week, 70 high school seniors will each be awarded $1000 scholarships by an organization begun by Jawad in  the 1980s.”

Jawad has contributed to many politicians, including Republicans such as Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, 2006 gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos and President George W. Bush. Jawad also has contributed to Democrats, including U.S. Rep. John Dingell of Dearborn and others.