| On February 26, Focus on Western Islamism, a Middle East Forum publication, and Jewish Insiderindependently published articles about CAIR-Philadelphia’s upcoming fundraising gala, detailing extreme and antisemitic remarks from CAIR’s scheduled guest speakers. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and Pennsylvania Senate candidate David McCormick (R) subsequently released statements criticizing Democratic U.S. Rep. Summer Lee (PA) for planning to attend the event. Ms. Lee announced on February 27 that she was withdrawing from CAIR’s banquet, citing “previous statements made by other speakers at this event” that were “publicly reported” the day before. If CAIR-Philadelphia’s event is considered too extreme for Lee, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives’ far-left “squad,” then why is CAIR welcomed at the Springfield Country Club in suburban Philadelphia? CAIR-Philadelphia’s fundraising gala will feature keynote speeches from former NBA basketball player Ibrahim Jaaber and Islamic scholar Yasir Fahmy. In the days following Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, Jaaber lashed out at Israelis, calling them “demons” who lie to “cover their horns” and accused the “media and celebrity mouthpieces” of “chucking and jiving for their Zionist masters.” In a pair of October sermons, Fahmy denied Hamas atrocities and accused Israeli Jews of “bribing … elected officials” and “media outlets,” while he called “Zionism” a “sick and sadistic ideological cult.” MEF Action, an activism project of MEF, is calling on concerned citizens to reach out to the Springfield Country Club and other key stakeholders to ask them to cancel CAIR’s March 2 gala. The country club sits on public property belonging to Springfield Township and is connected to the Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia Springfield. Therefore, we ask that you contact the numbers below, in order of priority. Springfield Country Club: 610-690-7600 (select option 1). If you can only call one number, this is the most important. Springfield Township Manager J. Lee Fulton: 610-544-1300 x. 136. Since Springfield Country Club is public property, the township’s top administrator should demand that CAIR’s event is canceled. Marriott International: 301-380-3000. The Springfield Country Club shares its address with the Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia Springfield, and CAIR’s event threatens to harm to Marriott International’s brand. Suggested Script: Hello Sir/Ma’am. I’m calling because I read a Middle East Forum report that describes how the Springfield Country Club is hosting CAIR. This group is not only connected to Hamas through federal court cases, but its top leader recently declared that he was “happy to see” Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. CAIR’s guest speakers have also made bigoted statements and promoted antisemitic conspiracies. Please cancel CAIR’s contract and ban this extremist group from the Springfield Country Club and all Marriott Hotels.
For immediate release
For more information contact:
Benjamin Baird, Project Director
[email protected]
+1 (215) 546-5406 | 