March 17, 2009

Jameel Ghuari endorses Pete Karas for mayor

Al Haj Jameel Ghuari announced today that he endorses Pete Karas for mayor.

"I’ve looked at each candidacy in some detail. I know Pete is the best choice for Racine," Ghuari said.

When asked how he will field questions from among the African American leadership and a community who have been described by some pundits to be divided among three African American candidates, Ghuari stated, "I am moved by spirit and principle, and not by ethnicity or any other surface attributes. Pete Karas is best suited to bring what is best for Racine because he is a man of principle and vision. He’ll be a Mayor who will finally bring transparency and accountability to City Hall."

Ghuari said he has no qualms about dealing with the possible attacks against him for this choice.

"This isn’t about me," he said. "It’s about what I believe is best for the City of Racine. Pete Karas is my choice."

Ghuari is a former candidate for the Racine City Council. He is also executive director of the Bray Center, a nonprofit social service organization in Racine's central city.

57 comments:

  1. Hahaha, I almost choked on my coffee reading this!

    Karas is certainly an interesting choice for Ghuari (what is Guari's real name now? I can't remember....) since Ghuari's wife is Karas's EX-wife. Ghauri is helping raise Kara's children. So what better way to have tax dollars funneled your way than to have a family member sitting in the mayor's seat?

    Putting all that aside, why would Jameel Ghuari think the community cares who he endorses? He's a nobody.

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  2. Karas must have been the first mayoral candidate to offer Jameel money for a knock-and-drag.

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  3. This is something Pete does not need. MAYBE some other candidate is behind this....

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. Find out how you can help elect Pete Karas as Racine's next mayor:
    http://tinyurl.com/PeteKaras

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  6. The Karas children are adults, so there is no way Ghuari is or was helping raise them.
    This is the first thing Ghuari has done that has actually impressed me. I don't think for a minute that there is any story behind this other than Pete is a good man and his ex-wife and her current husband are willing to say so publicly.
    But, I do have to say that it took me by surprise also.
    And, ALL the knock and drag money in Racine is going to Bob Turner's campaign. Look who is working for him! That will be the only knock and drags going on in the city this election.

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  7. Anon 7:35 - you don't know much about inner city knock and drags.

    Ghuari doesn't do anything that isn't going to benefit him personally.

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  8. Why speak (blog) of what you know nothing about. Karas's kids are grown. I know for a fact, Ghuari turned down another candidate's offer of a GOTV venture and will be working with Pete, not for him. None of which has anything to do with issues facing Racine or its next Mayor. Ghuari's speaking his opinion as a citizen, and not as a representative of any organization....like any one of us has the right, even responsibility to do.

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  9. What does it matter if the kids are "grown" or not? The fact is, they are all still family.

    Yeah I think Ghauri should be careful about getting his organization involved in politics, as I recall it violates the Federal Hatch Act and he could have his funding taken away.

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  10. Pete must have been the highest bidder.

    I wonder if Jameel loses his $100k state earmark if Turner does not win?

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  11. Interesting

    This is really pretty huge news for Pete's campaign. In a primary where every vote counts, having someone who is respected in their community and who voters will listen to could swing the election.

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  12. I'm telling you, Ghuari turned down GOTV offers in this election. I was in the room. Also, he is speaking as a citizen and not a representative of an organization. Read the various election laws at every level. How could he have run for office? He followed the law in that too. Leave families out of this. Let them each speak for themselves, like we all do.

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  13. Yeah they are all family. It seems like a positive to me. I agree, leave comments about family to them. What does that even have to do with anything?

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  14. Bob Turner doesn't seem like a vindictive person. I bet he honors Ghuari's right to make his own choice like he would any individual. Besides, one man in Madison does not call the shots.

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  15. Truth be told....I knew by making a commitment based on principle, in a business that's based on power, money and greed, there would be some naysayers. I WAS offered money for GOTV from another candidate. I said no, for the right reason. I will sign any type of docuement that states that I will be doing GOTV or other campaign work for no compensation for Pete Karas. I believe it is time for a new day in city governemnt. Nobody's perfect, but do not believe what you hear about me. Know me. The controversy that has dominated my public life has been a result of my principles which have been based on truth, justice and service to my community.

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  16. For the record, Robert Turner knows I respect him as a man and for his life time of service. For obvious reasons of association with the entire campaign, I couldn't bring myself to get with this particular effort.

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  17. If Ron Thomas works for United Way and can endorse a candidate as an individual citizen, why can't others associated with a non-profit do the same? Ghuari didn't say the Bray Center endorses Karas. I wonder why Dustin even included that. He didn't include Thomas's professional association.

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  18. Seriously Ghuari, if everything you did was based on principle, why have you accepted thousands of dollars from candidates in past years?

    You know the saying, you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time.

    How about "gettin' real" Jameel. What a waste of time.

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  19. In prior years, complaints to the feds and others about Ghuari's GOTV have resulted in nothing because there is nothing violated. The agency doesn't receive enough federal money to be covered by the Hatch Act. State and federal laws about non-profits specify that as long as an individual maintains his opinions are personal and not associated with the organization, it's all good.

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  20. What about Karas. What does he say? Isn't this about his candidacy? Let's hear it Pete!

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  21. What's this "al haj" in front of Ghuari's name? Is this something new? What is Ghauri's real name? I used to know but can't remember.

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  22. I don't know about the rest of you but I think it's important to disclose the fact that Ghuari is married to Karas' exwife.

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  23. Al Haj is a title given to Muslims who make the Hajj, the Pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the practices of Ghuari's faith. Doesn't it make it clear that he is acting as an individual?

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  24. Who's married to whom has what to do with any of this?

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  25. I am honored to have a community leader such as Jameel Ghuari endorse our candidacy for mayor to serve the people of Racine. I believe we share the same vision of an engaged community.

    To clear up any misconceptions in the above comments, Jameel called me last night and we talked at length. At the onset, he made it very clear that he would not ask for, nor accept any compensation for a GOTV effort or any other involvement in this election campaign.

    I sincerely appreciate his support.

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  26. Fake ass muslim

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  27. WOW, Anon 9:29
    What do you know about anyone's beliefs?

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  28. Truth be told...Peace be with you Anon 9:29. One of the first things I learned as a Muslim, is that you never question a man's belief or faith or what is in his heart. What do you understand a real Muslim to be, as opposed to a fke one?

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  29. "The controversy that has dominated my public life has been a result of" egomania, Mr. Ghuari, nothing else.

    We need people who love themselves and our community, not more people IN love with themselves.

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  30. To Anon 9:52, I do love myself. I love my community. I was born and raised in this community. I believe people who have a true spirit of understanding, of right and wrong, and who love this community know that I am in lock step with them.

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  31. Joyce Smith must be quite upset with Jameel

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  32. Truth be told...I love and respect Joyce Smith.

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  33. I think people should be focusing on what Al Haj Jameel Ghuari said about two very important things re: Pete Karas. He has a vision for the city and he has an impeccable reputation for honesty and clarity in his political history which will bring transparency to city government.
    The fact that he turned down GOTV money and that he will face criticism from some in the African American community speaks volumes about his sincerity.

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  34. Keeping it real...

    Ghuari is just trying to invest in his financial future. Ghuari knows that if he supports a more liberally-minded candidate, with strong potential for winning the seat, then later down the line, he will reap the benefits in CDBG funding and the mayor's special reserve funds.

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  35. Ghuari:

    Could you deny or affirm, please? The streets say that your wife was still married when you two got together, and that she gave up primary custody of her children to be with you. Is that true or false?

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  36. kay:

    Ghuari already faced criticism from the black community - long before this endorsement. There are many of us who think he simply takes advantage of our people for his own benefit.

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  37. Seriously, Do we really care who this bonehead endorses? I mean if I were Karas I would run as fast as possible in the other direction..C'mon has Racine sunk this low?

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  38. Hey anon 1:04, why would he even respond to such a stupid statement. If anyone knows anything about her, she not only wouldn't give up her children, not even to save her own life, but she doesn't give up on children period. She couldn't even stand Ghuari back then. I'm a witness.

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  39. Why are you all talking about Ghuari? Aren't Karas and the plans for the city the real issues in this election? This blog devolved...

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  40. The blog is about Ghuari endorsing Pete Karas. It's not a far cry from the subject to discuss the endorser.

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  41. This blog's anonymous sniping is all too familiar in this unhappy city. There are some excellent candidates running for Mayor and a few whose strategy for winning appears to be by smearing the competition. Pete Karas is one of the good guys. Ghuari has proven over and over again he is both resilient and a communicator to teens at risk. I hope all this ugly stuff catches up with the perps.

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  42. DAYUM!! I dint knows he be tappin karas x wife! Dats nasty.

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  43. Hey Anon 9:52, I'm not up on all the lingo...by "tappin'" do you mean married for like ten years or something? Just wondering.

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  44. So Anon 2:50, you see no difference in the way bloggers are blogging about this endorser versus how they are commenting on the endorser in the other endoresement bog on Dustin's site?

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  45. I can't believe the nastiness and unfounded accusations here. Pete Karas is an honest man and a good father. If this is the best the opposition can do, this bodes well for Pete's candidacy. Evidently, one or more of his opponents must be very worried.

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  46. To concrete katie, who said "Ghuari has proven over and over again he is both resilient and a communicator to teens at risk". I don't know where you are getting your information, but I have it from the kids themselves that the Bray and Ghuari are not the source of support that he claims to be. Just because a man goes around proclaiming himself to be something to a community of people, most of whom will never enter the Bray to verify his claims, does not make it true.

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  47. I’m thinking this thing may be over now that Karas has the crack head gang banger coalition locked up. Go Pete!

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  48. Anon 3/17/2009 1:08 PM,

    Then why haven't you done something about it?

    All these accusations are just ridiculous coming from people hiding behind the great cloak of Anonymous.

    I think that since Ghuari has taken criticism from people in Racine as someone who is a public figure that makes him the norm not the unusual. To risk more criticism takes courage. I give him credit for at the very least that much in this case.

    Furthermore, Pete's children want very much to see their father win this election. Jehan Ghuari happens to be the mother of those children. Why would she not want to support both her children's wishes as well as support her ex-husband, whom as far as I can tell she harbors no ill will towards?

    As far as future monies going to the Bray center, I don't think any of the Dem candidates are about to try to pull that plug so I don't see where this should be an issue. And, the conservative candidates want to pull every social service plug--which is not going to help the city at all in this recession.

    Perhaps having a mayor who is more comfortable working with the Bray center would help improve it in the long run? Everything can be improved so why not take a positive attitude?

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  49. Al Haj Jameel Ghuari needs to be investigated by the FBI for the Knock and Drag work. Open a cell next to Mc Gee

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  50. Who do you think got Jameel Ghuari the 150K earmark in the State budget, but not only another mayor candidate. State Senator Kim Plach at the time.

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  51. Karas is to be respected, truly community-minded, honest and a straight shooter.

    Ghauri on the other hand has had a virtually non-existent presence & impact in the black community in Racine. He is a part of the "old gaurd" of black leadership that has failed the community repeatedly and does nothing to embrace, support and nurture the new generation of black leadership in Racine. The stagnant, tired, narciccistic mentalities and antiquated methodology of the Keith Fair's, Jameel Ghauri's, Ken Lumpkin's, Eliot Cohen's and other self-annointed so-called "black leaders" of Racine have failed the black community and have only caused greater division and angst.

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  52. I know responding to this blog is definitely old news, but there has always been alot of haters in Racine. The "Anonymous" speaking with a lot of negativity, seems like he/she may be jeolous. Why not send the blog with your name?? Jameel, keep doing what you do. If Racine is too small and unappreciative, there's always Minneapolis. Your wisdom and devotion to the community will be welcomed here. Peace. Signed YR

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  53. Jehan was currently the executive director at Bethany Apartments in RACINE , where she ruined many of the women and children's lives she was there to protect. The police will not arrest her, for her breaking into apartments, stealing from residents, photographing residents homes when they were not home, bullying residents in the domestic violence apartment complex, harassment, falsified information to police and CPS office about residents, the list goes on and on. Jehan was at Bethany a little over a year currently is working at gateway college, she is an obvious racist and abuser, she cared nothing about the women she was supposed to help. Is there anything anyone could do/say to help the victims of her cruel tactics?

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  54. How do I contact the journalist of this page

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  55. How do I contact the journalist of this page

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    Replies
    1. You do realize this is a six-year-old story, and RacinePost has been closed down for four years?

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