Rashida Tlaib has a posse Rashida Tlaib is a board member of the Arab American Institute which claims less than $1 million in assets but it has a very well connected crew behind it. The president and CEO is James Zobgy, the pollster. Every time you see someone cite Zogby polls, they paid Rashida Tlaib's party for it. Board members George Salem and Ray Lahood work for DLA Piper.  George Salem is treasurer of United Palestinian Appeal whose chairman Mohammad Tarbush "held very senior positions at B.A.I.I in Paris, as well as at Deutsche Bank and at UBS in Switzerland" and is also on the board of American Friends of the UNRWA with Maggie Mitchell Salem of the Qatar Foundation who was Jamal Khashoggi's handler.  Ray Lahood was Secretary of Transportation from 2009 to 2013. Board member Helen Samhan "was among a group of vocal supporters of Sami al-Arian ... the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad operations in North America." Board member Jean AbiNader is Chief Operating Officer at The Moroccan-American Center for Policy and  Executive Director of the Moroccan American Trade & Investment Center (MATIC) who "regularly collaborates with the Moroccan government on programs to promote Morocco's bilateral commercial ties with UC companies and investors." Board member Edward Gabriel was the American ambassador to Morocco. Board member Sherine El-Abd is President of the New Jersey Federation of Republican Women and superintendant of elections in Passaic County, New Jersey as well as point of contact for the Egyptian-American Business Association. Board member Ismael Ahmed was the director of the Michigan Department of Human Services from 2007 through 2010. Board member Nahla Kayali was honored by the White House. Board member Nick Rahall was U.S. Representative from West Virginia from 1977 to 2015. Board member and COO Maya Berry was Legislative Director for House Minority Whip David Bonior. Tlaib did not come out of nowhere but has backing from a politically powerful group.