Hesham El-Meligy: The Man Who Cried When Barack Obama Was Elected President

Who was that bearded Eqyptian crying in joy and happiness when Barack Obama got elected President? Was he the same Hesham El-Meligy standing on the steps of City Hall on July 4, 2013 announcing a run for New York City Comptroller while surrounded by supporters who appeared to be Islamic fundamentalists? Was he the same man who said "I don't know much about Libertarianism, but I think it might be good" when he spoke at the Libertarian Party's New York City Nominating Convention held on April 9, 2013 at the New York Irish Center in Long Island City, New York? Was he also the man who said he was "definitely going to run for an office at some point, in some capacity, for some party" not particularly caring which party he was going to seek the nomination of?

Kristin Davis received the nomination of the Libertarian Party for New York City Comptroller at the New York City Nominating Convention held on April 9, 2013 and has been running an aggressive campaign ever since. At an illegal, rump convention held in June, a handful of people claiming to represent New York City Libertarians nominated for Comptroller Hesham El-Meligy, who Dallwyn Merck, Secretary of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, says looks like "an Al-Qaeda member or part of the Muslim Brotherhood."

The statements attributed to Hesham El-Meligy were overheard by Patrick Lembo, Chair of Downstate Libertarians, a chartered chapter of Empire State Libertarians, who was a delegate to the New York City Nominating Convention. Mr. Lembo identified this Mr. El-Meligy as "the man I fingered at the April meeting" and said "I sat behind this man and heard his idiocy first hand all night. He lacked a fundamental understanding of libertarianism and had no concept of elementary basics, for example wondering aloud 'what constituted a party member and what was involved in paying a due'. What a black eye it is for pro-liberty activists to have this man running around claiming to be a libertarian. When he spoke at the convention, he made a lousy pitch and I thought the man was a joke. That is why I was shocked to hear that even a secret, rump convention would nominate him for any office. He is not a libertarian. He is a buffoon!"

Hesham El-Meligy, a devout Muslim, was born in Cairo and received a bachelor's degree in accounting while living in Eqypt. He came to the United States in 1999, two years before the World Trade Center attacks, and on 9/11 2010, the 9th anniversary of those attacks, he participated in a demonstration as part of the Arab Muslim American Federation in support of building the "Ground Zero Mosque". El-Meligy is also the founder of the Islamic Civic Association - Staten Island and has been a vocal advocate for the Muslim community. He has said, "I am an Arab and I am an American. When I vote, I use my cultural background and religious ethics to lead me to the right candidate so I vote for who will bring us closer to justice...I would not vote for someone who supports injustice. I feel injustice for the Palestinians and, in general, for any Arab issue."