Nicolas Muzin

Nicolas David "Nick" Muzin is a Canadian-born Republican political strategist, attorney and physician. He was a paid consultant for The Nation of Qatar.[1] Prior to that, he served as the director of coalitions for the United States House Republican Conference[2] and was a senior adviser and deputy chief of staff for strategy for current the failed candidacy of Republican candidate for President of the United States Sen. Ted Cruz.[3] After the 2016 elections, he went on to work as a lobbyist, filing and registering under FARA as a foreign agent, first for the Democratic (opposition) party of Albania, which included payments from a Russian-linked shell company, Biniatta Trade. Following his efforts on the behalf of the opposition party of Albania, Nick began working as a foreign agent for the government of Qatar.

Early life

Muzin was raised in a Jewish family[4] in Toronto, Ontario, and is the son of Helen and Gary Muzin. His father is the president of a construction distribution and supply company.[5]

Education

Muzin attended Ner Israel Yeshiva High School in Toronto. After spending some post-high school time at the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia, he attended Yeshiva University in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan. While there, he served as editor in chief of the school newspaper, The Commentator, graduating in 1997. Muzin then completed Albert Einstein College of Medicine on a full four-year scholarship in 2001. Following a year as an internal medicine intern, Muzin proceeded to Yale Law School.[6] At Yale, Nicolas was a member of the Jewish leadership society Shabtai.

Career

In 2000, Muzin found himself supporting the Al Gore / Joe Lieberman ticket, but gravitated towards the conservative side of the aisle while attending Yale University. He joined George W. Bush’s 2004 reelection campaign as counsel for the Republican National Committee and served as a medical adviser for the 2008 presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain.[7] From 2005 to 2008, Muzin was of council at Williams & Connolly.

Dr. Muzin was chief of staff and policy adviser for then Charleston City Councilmember Tim Scott during his successful 2010 campaign for US Congress following the retirement of Rep. Henry Brown, and until December of that year, served as Scott's chief of staff.[8] Muzin remained involved with Scott during his transition from the House to his current position in the Senate.[7]

Recruited by Chad Sweet, national campaign chairman for Sen. Ted Cruz,[9] Muzin is currently senior advisor and deputy chief of staff for strategy for Cruz's Republican candidacy for President of the United States in the 2016 election.[2] Cruz has stated publicly that he uses Muzin as a sounding board on issues related to Judaism and to gain a deeper understanding of the religion and the broader community.[10]

Dr. Muzin was also the national political director for the Washington D.C. political action committee Tomorrow is Meaningful (TIM-PAC). Recently established by Tim Scott,[11] TIM-PAC focuses on encouraging entrepreneurship, private market-driven health care, tax reform, strengthening ties with longtime U.S. ally Israel, and an additional aim of sourcing viable candidates to bolster the Tea Party movement’s political base.[12] On July 2016, Muzin was considered by Yeshiva University, his alma mater, for the position of university president.[13][14]

In February 2018, it was reported by Haaretz and The Times of Israel that the Qatari Government had hired Nick Muzin to improve the Emirates's relations with the Trump Administration and the Jewish American community. Muzin's work reportedly included arranging meetings between Qatari officials and leaders of Jewish and pro-Israel advocacy groups.[15][16]

Personal life

Muzin is an Orthodox Jew.[17] In 2006, he married Andrea Michelle Zucker, the daughter of Anita Zucker and Jerry Zucker.[5]

Controversy

Muzin received money through a company named Biniatta as payment for services for the opposition party of Albania, followed by Qatar.[18]

References

  1. ↑ Lobbyist sued by Trump fundraiser ends work for Qatar
  2. 1 2 Official website of US Senator Ted Cruz Sen. Cruz Names Nick Muzin Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, July 2, 2014
  3. ↑ JPUpdates Sen. Cruz Names Nick Muzin As Senior Adviser, Dep. Chief of Staff, July 2, 2014
  4. ↑ Jewish Daily Telegraph: "Who are the Republican candidates’ Jewish donors?" by Ron Kampeas April 20, 2015
  5. 1 2 The New York Times WEDDINGS/CELEBRATIONS; Andrea Zucker, Nicholas Muzin, July 9, 2006
  6. ↑ Yeshiva University Alumni News Nick Muzin ’97YC, ’01E: Doctor, Lawyer, Political Strategist
  7. 1 2 JTA Canadian-born Orthodox Jew Nick Muzin helps boost black GOP Sen. Tim Scott to prominence, February 12, 2013
  8. ↑ Senator’s secret weapon: an Orthodox Jew from Canada, July 5, 2018
  9. ↑ Mishpacha Magazine Inside the Cruz Campaign, December 23, 2015
  10. ↑ The New York Times Ted Cruz Makes the Rounds, and Matzo, in Brooklyn, April 7, 2016
  11. ↑ The Post & Courier Rep. Scott forms new PAC, January 19, 2012
  12. ↑ Blogpost: Nick Muzin
  13. ↑ Yeshiva University Search Committee Picks Ari Berman To Be School’s Next President
  14. ↑ Yeshiva U Search Committee to Propose Instructor at Settlement College as Next President
  15. ↑ Tibon, Amir (8 February 2018). "Qatar Promised U.S. Jewish Leaders: Al Jazeera Documentary on D.C. 'Israel Lobby' Won't Air". Haaretz. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  16. ↑ Surkes, Sue (8 February 2018). "American pro-Israel lobby girds for Al Jazeera exposé". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  17. ↑ Jewish Insider 2016 Watch: Cruz Hires Nick Muzin, July 3, 2014
  18. ↑ "A mysterious, Russian-linked shell company. An ex-Trump aide. A plot to stir up trouble in the Balkans?". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
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