New Jersey Representative Tom Kean Jr. was photographed last summer alongside Ibrar Zulfiqar Bhutta, known as Ibrar Nadeem, a GOP activist facing accusations of homophobic and antisemitic behavior.
On August 22, 2025, Nadeem shared two photos on Facebook: one featuring Kean and another with Jack Ciattarelli, who was then a Republican gubernatorial candidate.
“Two powerful days, two powerful meetings,” Nadeem commented. “Back-to-back, I had the honor of meeting with Congressman Tom Kean Jr., son of New Jersey’s former governor, and with Jack Ciattarelli, our future Governor of New Jersey.”
During this period, Nadeem was working as the executive director of Muslim relations for Ciattarelli’s campaign.
In his capacity as a Ciattarelli representative, Nadeem participated in an event on October 18 in Piscataway, where he advocated for a ban on same-sex marriage and claimed he did not accept donations from Jewish individuals.
“Somebody said you are taking money from Jews,” Nadeem stated. “I check my bank account every day, brother. It is not there.”
These statements led to several New Jersey officials criticizing Nadeem and urging Ciattarelli to dismiss him.
“I don’t know the heart of this man who is speaking, but with his comments, he’s either speaking against Jews himself or to others in the room who are clearly antisemitic,” Livingston Deputy Mayor Shawn Klein expressed to NJ.com.
Despite the controversy, Kean did not publicly denounce the remarks and maintained his support for Ciattarelli’s campaign.
This silence could potentially challenge Kean’s numerous commitments to combat antisemitism, an issue he often addresses in Congress and during campaigns.
“At a time when antisemitic hate has reached alarming levels, I am pleased to stand with the Jewish community in the U.S. and around the world in calling out this evil,” Kean posted on social media in September.
On January 14, Nadeem reposted the image with Kean, also featuring a person he identified as “Uncle Ashraf,” a local pharmacist and business owner.
“Uncle Ashraf has built a legacy through service and sincerity,” Nadeem wrote. “It was a true honor to stand beside him and Congressman Kean Jr. in my office.”
Kean’s legislative history includes votes against marriage equality for New Jerseyans during his tenure as a state senator in 2010 and 2012. However, he has since stated his support for same-sex unions.
Currently, Kean is campaigning for a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The post Kean posed with GOP activist accused of antisemitism and homophobia appeared first on American Journal News.
—
Read More Kitchen Table News
