Mayor’s challenger far outraised and outspent her campaign

Amer Ghalib

 

By Charles Sercombe
In the race for mayor, the financial win is currently going to challenger Amer Ghalib.
According to Ghalib’s campaign reports for the primary and the weeks leading up to the general election, he raised a total of over $25,000 and spent almost $15,000.
Mayor Karen Majewski, on the other hand, raised over $6,000 for that same period. She spent over $3,000.
The final campaign reports won’t be due until after the general election, so there could be a sudden surge in donations. The election, though, is this Tuesday, Nov. 2 and many voters have already voted by absentee ballot.
Both Ghalib and Majewski attracted donations from residents and non-residents.
Ghalib had 19 residents donate, and 15 from outside the city, including donations from people living in New York.
Majewski had donations from 15 residents, and 18 from outside the city.
Most of her expenses went to her campaign manager who was paid almost $1,700 for administration fees, and about $1,500 on signs.
While Majewski has been outraised and outspent, she does have the power of being an incumbent.
However, she came in second out of four candidates vying for mayor in the primary election. Ghalib beat her by 364 votes – a gap that some political observers say will be nearly impossible to close up.

Karen Majewski

Ghalib spent most of his donations for his campaign manager, who was paid $2,000, and over $7,000 for printing, including signs, buttons and T-shirts.
One of the vendors who got his business was Nashal Graphics on Caniff, which is owned by Nasr Hussain. He was paid over $2,000 for campaign signs.
Hussain has been a frequent critic of Majewski on various Facebook pages, including Hamtramck Square.
He has accused her of corruption, and steering city projects toward friends and supporters. At the same time Hussain has been relentless in promoting Ghalib.
The Review reached out to Hussain to comment on his support for Ghalib, and he defended taking money from Ghalib’s campaign.
“The money I take from him is in return for a product that I print for him. Not for benefits I receive from the city, and I would promote him whether he printed with me or with other places.”
Both Hussain and Ghalib are Yemeni-American, and represent a growing influence of that community’s political muscle. If elected, Ghalib would become the first Yemeni-American to hold the position of mayor in Hamtramck.
Majewski was critical of Hussain’s accusations about her and city government as well as his comments on the display of LGBTQ rights and the role of women.
“Nasr’s history of lies, false accusations, misogyny, and homophobia should be no surprise to anyone, and taint those who support him and whom he supports,” Majewski said.
As for his association with Ghalib’s campaign, she said: “I doubt those views were bought. I think he’s sincerely told us who he is.”
Posted Oct. 31, 2021

3 Responses to Mayor’s challenger far outraised and outspent her campaign

  1. Mark M. Koroi

    October 31, 2021 at 5:38 pm

    Several observations regarding contributions:

    (A) every single contributor listed on the campaign finance disclosures filed in July and October with the Wayne County Clerk by Amer Ghalib’s campaign committee appear to be either individuals with Arabic surnames or businesses apparently owned by Arab-Americans.

    (B) Karen Majewski’s major contributors included:

    (i) Louay and Julia Hussein of Northville who each donated $1,000 apiece – Louay operates Nationwide Recovery who is one of the largest provider of towing services in Metro Detroit;

    (ii) Sadek Alduais, operator of Holbrook Market donated $500;

    (iii) Thomas Jankowski – owner of Empire Disposal contributed $500;

    (iv) Jason Eddleston of Sterling Services gave $500;

    (v) Maria Kryzyzowski – retiree and Ann Arbor resident donated $500.

    Besides former Hamtramck Mayor Thomas Jankowski, one other former elected official, Shahab Ahmed, now living in Troy, who served on City Council several years ago in Hamtramck, contributed $100 to Karen’s campaign committee, per county clerk records.

    (C) Hamtramck City Attorney James P. Allen, Sr. has appeared to make no contribution in the Hamtramck mayoral race – at least not as of the date of the last disclosures – but Allen donated $1,000.00 each to Susan Dabaja and Abdullah Hammoud during the City of Dearborn mayoral electoral campaign.

  2. Mark M. Koroi

    November 1, 2021 at 6:28 am

    Hussein Hussein donated almost $1,000 to the Friends of Karen Majewski Committee this election cycle.

    Mr. Hussein is the president of Nationwide Recovery, Inc. and its Resident Agent has been Marc A. Deldin:

    http://www.opencorporates.com/companies/us_mi/800656159

    Deldin is now the attorney defending the City of Hamtramck in the case filed by Charles Blackwell.

    Deldin was previously mentioned as an attorney in a previous controversy with towing and the city; the now-defunct COBRA unit, Anne Moise, and several police officers are also mentioned:

    http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2017/10/04/highland-park-officer-tow-firm-detroit-lawsuit/106282478/

    How did Deldin become the City of Hamtramck’s attorney of record in the Blackwell suit?

  3. Nasr Hussain

    November 5, 2021 at 1:31 am

    This article should be corrected. I never accused her of corruption. I merely stated some facts backed by documents. If you think that’s corruption, then this is your own conclusions and accusations not mine.
    All my posts are available on Facebook, you’re more than welcome to go back and review them.

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