Reynolds: Muslim Activist Donated $100,000 Plus

The family of a Muslim activist serving on Governor Brad Henry's Ethnic American Advisory Council has spent over $100,000 to influence Oklahoma elections in recent years, according to campaign records examined by State Rep. Mike Reynolds, he said today.

Reynolds said the contributions prove that the Ethnic Advisory Council's intentions run far beyond "education" efforts.

"We've been told the governor created the council simply to inform Oklahomans about the Muslim community and its beliefs, but now it appears he was simply rewarding key campaign contributors," said Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City.

A review of campaign records, Reynolds said, shows that council member Mohammad Farzaneh and members of his family have donated more than $100,000 to Oklahoma candidates, including Henry.

Reynolds did not detail the donations, but Ethics Commission records show Farzaneh donated $2,250 to Henry. His brother, Jalal, donated $250 to Henry; $1,000 to Democratic House candidate Jennifer Seal of Oklahoma City and $1,000 to Democratic House candidate Bill Nations of Norman. Mohammad Farzaneh also donated to Republicans, including gubernatorial nominee Ernest Istook.

Farzaneh is the co-owner of Home Creations, one of Oklahoma's leading homebuilding companies. President of the company is Jalal Farzaneh, who owns it with his brother, records show.

The council was recently embroiled in controversy when it printed special "Centennial edition" copies of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, to present to state lawmakers.

The group's efforts have also included "outreach" programs targeting Oklahoma school children.

According to the minutes of the council's Nov. 18, 2005 meeting, council members discussed efforts to include Muslim content in Oklahoma school curriculum; Reynolds noted that Henry appoints the members of the state committee that reviews and approves all textbooks.

The minutes indicate the group planned to recommend that Henry appoint a "community member"to the textbook group.

"It's disturbing that Governor Henry created a group dedicated solely to Muslim activists, but to learn that the group - which included a major source of Democratic campaign cash - would use their influence with the governor to promote a Muslim agenda in our schools is absolutely shocking," Reynolds said.

Reynolds recently called on Henry to disband or reform the Ethnic Advisory Council, noting the group's members are all Muslim and"hardly reflective" of Oklahoma's ethnic makeup in spite of the council's name.

Soon after, Reynolds was contacted via e-mail by Zia Muneer, an attorney he later learned works for Farzaneh, although she did not note the connection in her correspondence.

In her e-mail to Reynolds, Muneer wrote, "Your ignorance of contributions by Muslims and other Middle Easterners to our state and nation point to the continued need for EEAC here in Oklahoma."

"Miss Muneer had one thing right: I had no idea at the time that the 'contributions of Middle Easterners to our state' included over $100,000 in campaign cash," Reynolds said. "That's a sizable financial investment in the outcome of Oklahoma elections and reason for the state to reassess the Ethnic Advisory Council and its true goals."

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