Florida Congressman Took Donations from Organization with Ties to Terrorist Sympathizers

KISSISSIMEE, FLORIDA — Florida Congressman Darren Soto (R-Kissimmee) has received three donations from an organization that has been friendly with known terrorist sympathizers. The Florida Standard has no information to indicate that Soto has returned the money. 

The donations were made to Soto’s congressional campaign in three installments of $500 from 2017–2019 that came from a group called Emgage. 

Emgage’s founder and co-chairman Khurrum Wahid was a legal advisor for the Council on American-Islamic Relations National (CAIR) and a director for CAIR-Florida. In 2013, the FBI put together an executive summary from their investigative findings over a few years dating back to as early as 2007 related to a trial that suspected a group entitled Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development of terrorist funding. The findings in the trial “linked CAIR leaders to Hamas, a specially designated terrorist organization.” 

Wahid has also worked as a defense attorney where he defended terrorists including an al-Qaeda member who plotted to assassinate President George W. Bush. Wahid defended another man who received a 25-year sentence for conspiring with al-Qaeda by providing material support and medical care to injured militants, and another defendant who sent $50,000 to the Taliban to kill American soldiers. 

As recently as 2019 when the contributions to Soto’s campaign were being made, Emgage Executive Director Wa’el Alzayat was photographed with CAIR National founder and Executive Director Nihad Awad where Alzayat praised Awad as a “trailblazer.” 

Emgage states on their site that they “empower engaged Muslim Americans.” According to the campaign contributions, larger contributions from Emgage went to the campaign of Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib at the same time as the Soto campaign contributions. 

Tlaib has received ire from her own Democrat conference members for her views on Israel and refusing to condemn Hamas attacks. In 2019, Tlaib accused Israel of “oppressive and racist policies.” 

One of Tlaib’s closest allies in Congress is Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar – who has previously spoken at CAIR events. 

In the aftermath of the escalated conflict between Israel and Hamas this month, Emgage condemned Israel as the “oppressors.”  

“Palestinians in Gaza have endured Israel’s brutal siege for over 15 years,” their statement said. “Israel’s repeated large-scale military attacks on Gaza have taken thousands of Palestinian civilian lives, including hundreds of children.”

Their statement concluded by calling upon “outside power to do what they can to advance the cause of peace and justice.”