Tahanie Aboushi
Tahanie Aboushi | |
|---|---|
| Born | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Civil rights attorney |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Known for | Partner at The Aboushi Law Firm; 2021 Manhattan District Attorney candidate |
Tahanie Aboushi is a civil rights attorney of Palestinian-American heritage and a partner at The Aboushi Law Firm based in New York City, where she collaborates with two of her siblings. In the June 2021 Democratic primary for Manhattan District Attorney, she ran as a Democratic contender and placed third. Her campaign prioritized policies advocating against prosecuting offenses associated with poverty, mental health issues, substance dependency, or sex work.
Early life
Aboushi was born and brought up in Brooklyn, New York as the child of Palestinian immigrant parents. When she was 14 years old, her parents faced conspiracy charges related to untaxed cigarette distribution; her mother was found not guilty, whereas her father was convicted in 1999 on several counts including conspiracy and theft connected to cigarette transportation and received a 22-year federal prison sentence, from which he was released in 2018.
She is also the sibling of Los Angeles Chargers offensive lineman Oday Aboushi.
Education
Aboushi obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Studies from St. Johns University and earned her Juris Doctor degree from Syracuse University College of Law in 2009.
Career
In 2010, Aboushi established The Aboushi Law Firm with a focus on civil rights litigation. Her personal experience as an attorney, combined with her background as the daughter of immigrants and a Muslim, inspired her to offer legal assistance at JFK Airport following President Donald Trump’s 2017 Executive Order 13769, known as the Trump travel ban. For these efforts, she was honored with the Shirley Chisholm Women of Excellence Award by New York State Senator Jesse Hamilton.
Aboushi filed a lawsuit against the New York City Police Department for infringing upon religious freedoms after officers compelled women to remove their hijabs during booking photographs while in custody. Acting on behalf of three women, her legal action resulted in settlements amounting to $60,000 each in 2018.
Additionally, she represented a 21-year-old woman who sustained injuries during the May 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Brooklyn when an NYPD officer forcefully pushed her to the ground. This event was recorded on video and led to the officer’s suspension and misdemeanor assault charges. Half a year later, Aboushi initiated a federal civil rights lawsuit targeting the city, the involved officer, his supervisor, and the NYPD.
Manhattan District Attorney race
In January 2020, Aboushi launched her campaign for the position of New York County District Attorney, aiming to expand her influence beyond civil rights advocacy.
Her election would have been historic as she would have become the first woman, first Muslim, and first Palestinian American to hold that office.