Anti-Israel Texas businessman bankrolling PAC pushing trio of Mamdani-backed House candidates

A pro-Palestinian Texas businessman has been bankrolling an anti-Israel super PAC that’s now backing a a trio of insurgent far-left New York congressional candidates, records show.Hussein “Sam” Mahrouq — the owner of Enterprises International, which runs AutoMax and Dollar Rent-A-Car — donated $400,000 to the American Priorities PAC, which was formed earlier this year as a counter to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.The organization said Tuesday it would drop $2 million to on TV, streaming and digital ads to boost House candidates, Darializa Avila Chevalier, Claire Valdez and Brad Lander, who have all been endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani.Some of the PAC’s largest funders were big league donors that helped fuel Mamdani’s winning mayoral campaign last year.Among them was New York-based Muslim businessman Mohammad Waqas, who funneled $1 million to American Priorities after being the top donor to the pro-Mamdani PAC New Yorkers for Lower Costs.Omer Hasan, a Silicon Valley investor who gave at least $250,000 to New Yorkers for Lower Costs, also donated $1 million to the new PAC.Mahrouq, meanwhile, personally gave $2,100 directly to Mamdani’s insurgent campaign in June of last year.The Muslim-American, who says he was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan, has funneled tens of thousands of dollars to lefty “Squad” members Rep.Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rep.

Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) over the last seven years.But Mahrouq’s donations also crossed the aisle to anti-Israel Republicans.He has sent $500 to a campaign for Kentucky Rep.Thomas Masse, who has been outspoken against the US selling arms to Israel.

Mahrouq also gave thousands of dollars to former Georgia Rep.Marjorie Taylor Greene, a critic of the Jewish state’s actions in Gaza.The three New York congressional hopefuls set to get a cash infusion from the new PAC have been openly pro-Palestinian and taken an antagonistic stance toward Israel — which has become a wedge issue...