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Rep. Marie Newman (D-IL) is dealing with an onslaught of criticism for a contract she signed with a political rival, through which—in keeping with congressional investigators—she doubtless agreed handy Professor Iymen Chehade a six-figure wage in alternate for him not operating towards her in a Democratic main. However paperwork seem to point out that a cozy job and massive title weren’t the one issues Newman negotiated.
In an Oct. 2018 electronic mail to Newman, Chehade memorialized that he and Newman had met earlier within the week and mentioned a proposal the place Newman wouldn't solely pledge to hiring Chehade, however would additionally “commit” to quite a few anti-Israel coverage positions.
Among the many positions Chehade laid out have been “opposing any laws that entails ADDITIONAL army gross sales or help to Israel,” supporting laws that achieves “justice and self-determination” for Palestinians, and organizing “fact-finding” delegations to Palestine and different Center East nations. Chehade even mentioned he wished “full discretion” over the itinerary for such a visit.
“At no level will Newman settle for partial or full funding for congressional delegations from the [Jewish National Fund], any group affiliated with the Israeli authorities, or any group that embraces Israeli’s Zionist or colonial venture,” Chehade mentioned.
In whole, Chehade’s part on the positions that “Newman commits to” was 277 phrases and included 4 bullet factors with a number of sub-sections.
After receiving these calls for on Oct. 27, 2018, Newman agreed later that day that it was a “superb dialogue” and requested to “suppose via” Chehade’s proposal after she had extra carefully reviewed his situations. Lower than every week later, Newman responded to Chehade’s proposals not with outrage that somebody would attempt to dictate her coverage positions or seemingly extort her for a job paid for by the American taxpayers. As a substitute, Newman wrote this: “Most of it seems good. Couple of issues -mostly phrasing.”
She then requested to fulfill in individual to debate, and if Chehade wouldn’t thoughts coming nearer to her residence this time.
These provisions weren’t included in a remaining model of the settlement that Newman and Chehade signed, and the ultimate contract famous it “supersedes all different earlier agreements and understandings between the events.” However the mere existence of those discussions in any discussion board is very uncommon and at the moment a part of an Ethics Committee investigation into Newman.
Whereas Newman has been a vocal supporter of Palestine for years, her voting report and public positions have, actually, carefully mirrored Chehade’s listed anti-Israel calls for. She has cosponsored a number of pro-Palestinian statehood payments, together with one that would supply “congressional disapproval of the proposed direct industrial sale to Israel of sure weaponry and munitions.”
Newman was additionally considered one of solely eight Democrats to vote towards a invoice in September to offer $1 billion for Israel’s Iron Dome missile protection system. The measure handed the Home 420-9, with two Democrats voting current.
Maybe much more notable is that, on her 2022 marketing campaign web site—underneath the “Points” tab—there is just one subject listed: “Israel/Palestine.”
It opens to a three-page doc with 12 listed stances, together with supporting “the precise of the Palestinian folks and their supporters to make use of non-violent means to oppose the Israeli occupation of the West Financial institution and the blockade of Gaza.”
“As a consultant in Congress I can be ready to study extra concerning the Israeli/Palestinian battle, how the USA can greatest contribute to the achievement of a simply, equal, and peaceable resolution to the battle, in addition to varieties of laws I can assist to assist the Israelis and Palestinians attain that resolution,” Newman provides.
No matter her earlier stances, the follow of negotiating on political positions—in addition to potential votes on any topic—is effectively exterior the scope of normal congressional ethics, even when these discussions usually are not finalized in writing as a part of an final settlement.
“Job negotiations are a factor, however I’ve by no means heard of a possible member of congress negotiating away the flexibility to have the ultimate name on their positions,” Jordan Libowitz, communications director for Residents for Duty and Ethics in Washington, advised The Day by day Beast. Libowitz added that the negotiations between Chehade and Newman most undoubtedly raised moral questions.
These moral questions have been solely heightened when the Workplace of Congressional Ethics—an impartial watchdog in Congress—concluded that Newman was “doubtless” attempting to push back a possible main challenger with the settlement and unanimously referred the matter to the Ethics Committee for additional investigation.
In 2018, Newman signed a contract promising Chehade a job on her congressional workers as a international coverage adviser if she gained her 2020 election bid. The gig was supposed to return with perks: A “personal workplace throughout the congressional suite,” no less than one totally paid weekly journey again to Chicago, and a yearly wage between $135,000 and $140,000.
When Newman modified her thoughts concerning the job, Chehade sued. And after a small authorized battle, they settled—with each events signing non-disclosure agreements.
Two days after the settlement, on July 1, 2021, Chehade obtained his first fee for a job on her marketing campaign as—you guessed it—a international coverage adviser. That very same day, Newman took to the Home ground to talk “on behalf of the hundreds of Palestinian households within the West Financial institution that face the prospect of eviction, demolition and displacement from their houses by the Israeli authorities.”
On Tuesday, Newman’s marketing campaign declined to touch upon whether or not giving Chehade a job on the marketing campaign workforce was part of their settlement settlement. However a assessment by The Day by day Beast of the displays launched final week by OCE reveals how Newman has already positioned herself in a legally tenuous place.
Newman has trapped herself into sure arguments by beforehand acknowledging that the deal she signed with Chehade broke congressional guidelines and that Chehade shouldn’t be paid by marketing campaign funds.
In her try and fend off Chehade’s lawsuit, Newman claimed she was protected by the federal authorities’s immunity—and her workforce of congressional attorneys truly conceded a number of key particulars.
“The settlement is void as a result of it violates public coverage," Douglas Letter, basic counsel for the Home of Representatives, wrote in a court docket submitting within the case final yr.
In court docket, Newman additionally tried to get out of personally choosing up the tab for Chehade’s wage, arguing that the titles she allegedly promised him—chief international coverage adviser or legislative director—“are thought-about legislative in nature” and must be paid by federal funds.
"Congressional staff are compensated with federally appropriated funds, not private or marketing campaign funds," the court docket submitting additionally said.
These inconsistencies have been highlighted in a transcript of the interview Newman had with investigators at OCE on Sept. 2 final yr, when the attorneys requested her if she was comfy with the admissions—and if she felt that the Home attorneys had her “greatest pursuits at coronary heart.”
When Newman was requested about her interactions with Chehade, she described intimately why she in the end determined to disregard the contract and never rent him. He was a nasty match for the job, she mentioned, “extremely disrespectful,” and “laborious to get together with.” She claimed he screamed at her—typically. His “behaviors” confirmed “very vital purple flags.” And he or she felt he’d completely screwed up one of many two duties she’d given him: writing a coverage assertion on the Center East.
What Newman didn’t inform investigators throughout that deposition was that, at that very second, she was paying Chehade $7,500 a month via her political marketing campaign—and had certainly made him her official international coverage adviser.
Federal Election Fee information present Chehade in the end earned greater than $50,000 within the second half of final yr, with the primary fee coming lower than every week after their settlement. It’s unclear if the attorneys with the OCE have been already conscious of his employment, however Newman definitely didn’t let on about it.
“He had very robust expertise about Syria and Palestine. [He] is an effective researcher and a powerful author. These have been all true. So he had these expertise. However the expertise required for the precise job, he lacked,” the congresswoman advised them. “He additionally demonstrated behaviors and interactions that have been deeply regarding.”
Regardless of all that, Newman’s present marketing campaign supervisor, Ben Hardin, advised The Day by day Beast that Chehade—as the very best paid worker on the marketing campaign within the second half of 2021—was thought-about “an vital member of our workforce.”
However how vital stays unclear as effectively. Throughout a deposition in August, Newman’s earlier marketing campaign supervisor advised investigators that they'd “very minimal interplay” with Chehade and that he had turned over “just a few deliverables as a part of the settlement”—despite the fact that, by that time, Chehade had already been paid $20,000 via marketing campaign funds.
Home ethics attorneys additionally questioned the congresswoman concerning the Oct. 27, 2018, electronic mail that laid out the quid professional quo because the very first merchandise into consideration: that Newman would give him the job “in alternate” for his assurance that he “agrees to not announce or submit his candidacy for election to Congressional Consultant of the third District of Illinois.” The congresswoman responded that “when he despatched me this proposal, I used to be outraged and incensed.” She claimed she was “nonetheless fairly irate” when she referred to as him hours later.
“I do keep in mind utilizing expletives within the dialog,” she mentioned.
However emails obtained by investigators present that Newman took a really completely different tone when she wrote him again the following day.
“Hello Iymen,” Newman started. “Thanks for sending and superb dialogue throughout the board on all subjects. Let me suppose via all of this and lets [sic] chat once more after I assessment. Thanks and speak very quickly.”
Newman has taken to dismissing the ethics complaints as a partisan witch hunt. However these explanations won't maintain water for the Ethics Committee or voters in her district.
Newman is ready to sq. off in a member-versus-member main in June after redistricting pitted her towards Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL), who already has about $1 million extra in his marketing campaign account in comparison with Newman.
On prime of that disparity, Casten’s marketing campaign isn’t paying somebody six-figures to advise him on international coverage.
Hardin advised The Day by day Beast in an announcement, “The one individuals who affect Rep. Newman's work in Congress are her constituents.” Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s workplace as soon as once more ignored questions on whether or not it was acceptable for Newman to proceed paying Chehade because the Ethics investigation is ongoing.
Reached by telephone on Wednesday night, Chehade declined to touch upon his proposals relating to Israel-Palestine with Rep. Newman, however did inform a reporter for The Day by day Beast she ought to “go work for a greater information group.”
Roger Sollenberger, William Bredderman, and Matt Fuller contributed to this report.