Meet Rob Sobhani: Independent Thinker for U.S. Senate

Meet Rob Sobhani: Independent Thinker for U.S. Senate

October 2, 2012, Washington D.C. – The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) recently had the opportunity to sit down with Rob Sobhani to discuss his independent bid for the U.S. Senate from Maryland.

Sobhani is a Maryland-based author, former professor and business owner who has been actively engaged in the public arena throughout his career.  As the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Caspian Group Holdings, he heads a multi-disciplinary group of companies with international business activities in the fields of energy. 

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Representative Rohrabacher Introduces Resolution Encouraging the Partition of Iran

September 21, 2012, Washington, D.C. – On September 12, 2012, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA 46^th) introduced House Concurrent Resolution 137, which expresses the sense of Congress that the Azeri people, currently divided between Azerbaijan and Iran, have the right to self-determination and to their own sovereign country if they so choose.

In a letter to Rohrabacher, PAAIA expressed its concern regarding this recommendation, noting that such a suggestion would not only be detrimental to the interests of the U.S., but it would also not be supported by Americans of Iranian descent or the Azeri population living in Iran.

PAAIA has been in contact with the Department of State and other members of Congress to inform them of our opposition to H.Con.Res.137. In response the State Department has informed PAAIA that Rohrabacher’s actions reflect his personal opinions and that the policy of the United States respects the existing borders between Iran and Azerbaijan.

Take Action Today!

Contact your representative and let them know of your opposition to H.Con.Res.137.

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PAAIA’s Houston Chapter Welcomes Cyrus Habib

September 25, 2012, Houston, TX – On September 23, 2012, PAAIA members and friends from Houston hosted two events in honor of Cyrus Habib, a candidate for the Washington State House of Representatives.

A Rhodes Scholar and a graduate of Yale Law School, Habib is the official Democratic Party nominee for the 48th Legislative District. His campaign is being supported by a bipartisan list of local, state, and federal leaders, including U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, both Washington Democrats. If successful, Cyrus will be the first Iranian American elected to state office in the country. He recently won over 56% of the vote in Washington’s primary election on  August 7^th.

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Seattle Times Endorses Habib for State Representative

September 25, 2012, Seattle, WA – On September 24, 2012, the largest daily newspaper in Washington State, endorsed the candidacy of Cyrus Habib for Washington State Representative.

“In Position 2, Democrat Cyrus Habib is the best choice for the open seat formerly held by state Rep. Deb Eddy,” explained the Seattle Times Editorial Board. “Habib has not served in public office, but he exhibits a firm grasp of the urgent issues facing our state and supports critical reforms, including teacher evaluations based on student perofrmance and restructuring public-employee benefits.” The Seattle Times also commended Habib for gaining endorsements from Republican elected officials which demonstrates a bipartisan track record.

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Early Voting Has Begun

September 25, 2012, Washington, D.C. – The countdown towards November 6th commenced on September 21st as early voting began in two states. Before Election Day, thirty two states and the District of Columbia will have provided “no excuse” early voting options. These include a number of states with large Iranian American populations such as California, Florida, Maryland, and Texas.

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