A Muslim-American businessman has funneled nearly $150,000 to "Squad" Democrats, a super PAC aimed at countering the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)—and two Republicans, Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.) and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.).
Sam Mahrouq, a Texas-based real estate, tech, and auto dealership tycoon who said he was born in a Palestinian refugee camp, shelled out $7,000 to Massie last year, the maximum allowed per cycle, FEC filings show. His wife Rania, daughter Raneem, and son Zaid Mahrouq each gave the same amount. Another $7,000 donation came from a Mohammad Mahrouq—the FEC filing shows that his address matches the rest of the family's and that he is employed by Ikon Technologies, a large software firm Sam Mahrouq founded and owns, but no other information could be found about him.
Sam Mahrouq also donated $9,000 to Greene and her People Over Politicians PAC.
The contributions place Massie and Greene alongside far-left figures: Since 2019, the Mahrouqs have sent nearly $21,000 to Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.), more than $18,500 to Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.), $1,000 to Rep. Summer Lee (D., Pa.), and $5,000 to former Rep. Cori Bush (D., Mo.).
Massie, who describes himself as "Kentucky's most conservative congressman," has attracted support from other left-wing figures as he opposes President Donald Trump's foreign policy moves and as Trump's political operation wages a campaign to defeat him in a primary.
In August, Massie met with leaders of the Integrity Political Action Committee shortly after the group formed a coalition with the Democratic Socialists of America to combat ICE's "crackdown on immigration violations." Around the same time, the PAC's chairman, Rafed Aljoboury, contributed $500 to Massie's campaign.
The Mahrouq family and the members of Congress did not respond to requests for comment. Mohammad Mahrouq could not be reached for comment.
Mahrouq, who says he was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Amman, Jordan, before moving to the United States when he was 18, began exporting cars to the Middle East while attending the University of Texas at Arlington. He has since built a sprawling business empire spanning the automotive, technology, finance, insurance, and real estate sectors as founder, chairman, and CEO of MEI Group, originally named Mahrouq Enterprises International. His portfolio includes at least 11 car dealerships across North Texas, a Dollar Rent-a-Car franchise, and Ikon, which provides vehicle-tracking and data services to auto dealers nationwide. Collectively, the businesses employ hundreds of workers and bring in around $55 million in annual revenue, according to the Car Dealership Guy podcast, on which Mahrouq appeared last January.
Mahrouq, a member of the Arlington, Texas, Mayor's Muslim Advisory Council, has also used his wealth to back anti-Israel causes. In addition to bankrolling the "Squad" members, who have blamed Israel for provoking Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023, attack, calling it "resistance," and accused the Jewish state of "ethnic cleansing," "genocide," and "apartheid," Mahrouq has ponied up $100,000 for American Priorities, a newly formed super PAC seeking to capitalize on growing anti-Israel sentiment within the Democratic Party. It plans to spend eight figures in at least a dozen House races in 2026 in partnership with several left-wing groups, including the Institute for Middle East Understanding Policy Project, an anti-Israel activist group; Justice Democrats, the PAC that spearheaded Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D., N.Y.) 2018 campaign; and Leaders We Deserve, a group cofounded by activist David Hogg that supports far-left candidates in deep-blue House districts.
Other funders behind American Priorities include Silicon Valley angel investor Tariq Afaq Ahmed and tech executive Omar Hasa—both major backers of New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani (D.)—as well as Amir Nathoo, a Tech for Palestine board member who was once banned from LinkedIn after comparing Israel to Nazi Germany.
American Priorities did not respond to a request for comment.
Massie, for his part, has called to "end all U.S. military aid to Israel" and has publicly opposed both Operation Epic Fury—the wide-scale campaign President Donald Trump launched last week in an effort to topple the Iranian regime and prevent the authoritarian nation from obtaining nuclear weapons—and Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted Iranian nuclear facilities in June. He routinely votes against legislation the White House supports, and Trump, whose political operation launched a campaign to defeat Massie in a primary, has called Massie the "worst Republican Congressman" and an "almost guaranteed NO VOTE each and every time."
Greene, meanwhile, voted alongside Massie to block aid to Israel and accused the Jewish state of committing "genocide" before she resigned from Congress in January. She also appears to have befriended Medea Benjamin, the cofounder of the far-left activist group Code Pink. The group, which is funded by pro-CCP tech mogul Neville Roy Singham, has worked on behalf of members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.
Mahrouq's contributions to far-left, anti-Israel figures also include $2,100 to Mamdani, $1,500 to anti-police Michigan Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed, and $500 to Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, who covered-up a Nazi tattoo and has promoted anti-Semites. He has also given $1,000 to Anti-Zionist America PAC, $1,750 to Citizens Against AIPAC Corruption, and $3,500 to James Talarico, the Texas Democrat who defeated Jasmine Crockett in a Senate primary on Tuesday.
Talarico declined to comment.
