Arab-American Advocacy Group Faces Sexual Harassment Allegations Amid Campus Protests

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), one of the nation’s oldest Arab-American civil rights organizations, is confronting serious allegations of sexual harassment and organizational misconduct. The controversy has intensified after Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., publicly criticized the group, citing her own experience of sexual harassment while working there early in her career.

The allegations come at a particularly sensitive time for the ADC, which has been playing a prominent role in providing legal support and advocacy for student demonstrators participating in anti-Israel campus protests related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

Former ADC board member Dr. Ed Hasan filed a formal complaint on April 22 with the DC attorney general’s office, outlining concerns about the organization’s handling of harassment allegations. Hasan, a Georgetown University adjunct lecturer, claims he was removed from his board position just days after raising these concerns, which he describes as retaliation.

“A board cannot investigate itself,” Hasan stated, criticizing the organization for conducting an internal review instead of employing an independent third party. “Since then, additional survivors have shared deeply painful experiences with me, making it clear that these are not isolated incidents but part of a systemic problem.”

Hasan has called for the resignation of the current board and the creation of a “community-driven interim transitional board to rebuild trust and safety.” His allegations focus on governance failures and what he characterizes as an inappropriate response to harassment complaints.

Meanwhile, Rep. Tlaib has added her voice to the criticism, recently sharing her experience in a social media video. She alleges that after she was sexually harassed while working at the organization’s Michigan office, the misconduct escalated to involve multiple women, with more than two dozen individuals eventually coming forward with similar accounts.

“Shame on you for using the image of a victim of your organization and continuation of a toxic work environment. You all haven’t changed,” Tlaib wrote, noting that she spoke out after discovering the organization was using her image on its website. “I stand with all of ADC’s survivors who were shamed instead of protected and believed.”

The allegations referenced by Tlaib were initially reported more than a decade ago, when multiple women came forward with claims involving a senior staffer. Tlaib has accused the organization of failing to properly address these allegations, claiming the accused individual “didn’t get fired” but was instead “paid… to just go away.”

Palestinian-American political analyst Omar Baddar, who previously led a regional ADC chapter, has supported Tlaib’s account, stating that he stood with her outside an ADC event 13 years ago demanding accountability over sexual harassment allegations.

In response to the mounting criticism, the ADC issued a public statement acknowledging that some allegations reference incidents from more than a decade ago. “Because we recognize that the passage of time does not erase harm, we reiterate our previous apology sincerely and without reservation,” the organization said.

The ADC added that it maintains a “zero-tolerance policy for harassment” and warned against the spread of misinformation, saying it would defend itself against “false claims.”

The controversy poses significant challenges for the ADC, particularly as it continues its work supporting anti-Israel campus protesters. The organization has been a key player in providing legal resources to student demonstrators at universities like Columbia, where protests have gained national attention.

It remains unclear whether any criminal charges were filed in connection with the past allegations. The DC attorney general’s office has not yet commented on Hasan’s complaint.