Big LGF kudos to John McCain for dumping an open Hizballah supporter from his Michigan Finance Committee; Debbie Schlussel has the details.

Ali Jawad and his company, Armada Oil, were convicted of insurance and mail fraud in federal court and ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution and fines. Michael Mustapha Makki, Jawad’s co-defendant—also convicted—in the case, USA v. Makki et al, is a member of the Makki family, many members of which were convicted of cigarette smuggling for Hezbollah.

Several sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity confirm that Jawad sold cigarettes obtained from out of state and avoided paying the exorbitant Michigan cigarette tax he collected, pursuant to the scam. Although key members of law enforcement were aware of this, they were ordered by late, then-Dearborn Mayor Michael Guido not to pursue the matter and to call off their investigation. Mr. Jawad was a major donor to Guido, as was indicted Hezbollah financier and fugitive, Talal Chahine. In 2003, Jawad—originally from the Hezbollah stronghold of Nabatiya—and Chahine, together, accompanied Mayor Guido on a trip to Lebanon, for which they raised thousands of dollars. They visited the Hezbollah-controlled cities of Bint Jbeil and Qana.

Jawad is known as one of the most important agents of Hezbollah in the U.S. He is related (through his brother’s marriage) to Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah and the man Iran has designated as Nasrallah’s heir apparent, Hachem Safieddine (currently a member of the 7-member Hezbollah ruling council, the Shurah Al-Karar). The Jawad and Safieddine families have many business dealings together. Both Ali Jawad and the Safieddines own many gas stations throughout the Detroit area. Armada Oil—of which Jawad is CEO—also distributes gas to gas stations throughout the Detroit area.