Debbie Schlussel: Who is Marty Knollenberg?: Hezbollah & Syria Back Candidate for Michigan's Legislature
Why are agents of Hezbollah and Syria and supporters of their occupation of Lebanon giving big dollars to a candidate for the Michigan Legislature?
That's the question all voters in Michigan's 41st House District, in suburban Detroit, should be asking of Republican primary contender Marty Knollenberg.
For a tiny state legislature seat, Knollenberg--the son of Republican U.S. Congressman Joe Knollenberg--has received some interesting contributions from outside the State of Michigan:
* Nijad & Zeina Fares--Nijad Fares is the son of Hezbollah-backed, Syrian installed former Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon, Issam Fares, deposed not long ago. At the time of his and his wife's contributions to Knollenberg, Issam Fares was still in power as Deputy Prime Minister. The Fares Family are strong supporters of Hezbollah and Syria and are believed to be conduits of Hezbollah campaign contributions in America, since they are naturalized U.S. citizens and legally able to contribute to American political campaigns.
Nijad Fares also gave thousands to Marty Knollenberg's father, Congressman Joe, after he pushed through Congress about $86 million in USAID funds to Hezbollah-controlled Southern Lebanon at the request of pro-Hezbollah/pro-HAMAS Jim Zogby of the Arab American Institute in 2000. Knollenberg's then-Chief of Staff, Paul Welday, aided in this allocation. The money was never traced. Who knows how many missiles and rockets that paid for?
* Abdallah Bouhabib--Bouhabib was the Lebanese Ambassador to the United States at the time that the U.S. Marine barracks were bombed by Hezbollah and over 241 U.S. Marines were murdered. He complained that President Reagan's only concern in Lebanon was the Marines. Since then, Bouhabib settled in the U.S., where he became an official in the World Bank facilitating meetings with and billions of dollars for P.L.O. leader Yasser Arafat.
American Lebanese activists in the "March 14th Coalition" (a group of Christians, Sunnis, Druze and others who are working to free Lebanon entirely of Syria and Hezbollah) say that Bouhabib worked against them and supported Syria's occupation of their country.
Bouhabib and Mr. and Mrs. Fares gave Marty Knollenberg $500 a piece. That might seem small to you, but it's the maximum allowed under Michigan law per election cycle.
No state in the Union should have elected officials who take money from agents of Hezbollah and Syria. And Michigan is no exception.
What will Marty Knollenberg do for Hezbollah and Syria in the Michigan Legislature? We hope voters in his prospective district (containing Detroit suburbs of Troy and Clawson) don't give us a chance to find out.
For those who are opposed to Hezbollah and Syria getting a foothold in the Michigan House of Representatives, we urge you to vote for his opponent in the Republican primary, Mike Bosnic--a true conservative who will represent the people in his Michigan district, NOT the terrorists in Hezbollah and Syria.
For those elsewhere in the U.S., please help defeat Hezbollah's and Syria's candidate for the Michigan House by donating to Bosnic:
Committee to Elect Mike Bosnic
370 Roth Blvd.
Clawson, Michigan 48017
Both Bosnic and Knollenberg are running as Republicans in the heated August 8th primary for this seat. Whoever wins that will be the likely State Representative from this very Republican district.
NOT PAID FOR BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE COMMITTEE.
Posted by Debbie on July 27, 2006 03:12 PM to Debbie Schlussel