MICHIGAN – Fadwa Hammoud, who was appointed by Attorney General Dana Nessel in January, has been sworn in as the first ever Muslim Solicitor General in the history of the US, State News reported Tuesday.
Hammoud made history as she was sworn-in on the Qur’an held in the hands of her young son.
“Yes, it’s true that an Arab Muslim person hasn’t held this office before. I carry those identities and all that they teach me about loving equity and justice with me into this work,” said Hammoud who is also the first woman to be appointed to the job in Michigan.
“Believe me when I say that words would fail in describing my gratitude today,” she added.
“With that said, it is with great hope for the future of our state, and because of the strength each of you has given me, I am prepared to elevate my level of service to represent our state in the highest of courts as your Solicitor General.”
The ceremony took place at Hammoud’s alma mater, Fordson High School. After graduation, she went on to Harvard and eventually to the office of the Wayne County Prosecutor.
On stage with the Lebanese Muslim immigrant mother were: Nessel, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, and Arab American News publisher Osama Siblani.
Worthy, Hammoud’s former boss for eight years, expressed lighthearted grievances about losing her best attorney to the Solicitor General position.
“I was quite upset when I found out that Hammoud was leaving the office. But I knew how important it was for her to take the position,” Worthy expressed.
“If I didn’t understand that before when I heard your applause for her — when I see the breadth and depth of the community support, she has — I get it now.”
Long Successful Journey
She continued that: “When Hammoud started, she was a very young lawyer … and I started hearing about how she was handling these big cases. She’d only been in the office for a short while. Then I found out not only was she well-suited, not only was she a natural born leader, not only was her decision-making second to none, but I realized just how very talented she was.”
Nessel, another alumna of the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, had a lot to say about her choice for the state’s top appellate lawyer.
“To say that Hammoud is an incredibly special person is sort of to say the palace of Versailles is ‘a nice house,’ or that Donald Trump is ‘not the best president.’ Simply put, it’s a vast understatement. Hammoud was often roped in to being everyone’s personal stylist at the prosecutor’s office. She’s uniquely qualified for the job.”
Hammoud’s younger brother, Abbas said: “I’m here today to let you know, as someone who knows this incredible woman intimately: You can trust her. You can trust her judgment because love is at the center of her decision-making, is at the center of every decision she makes, and the work that she will do for the people of the state of Michigan.”
Muslims made history in the US November mid-term elections.
Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota were both elected as the first Muslim congresswomen.
Other Muslim winners included Assad Akhter who easily defeated Republican Lori Mambelli and was re-elected Passaic County Freeholder, NJ.
Salim Patel, who was initially appointed to the Council following the death of Zaida Polanco in September of this year, confirmed his position with an overwhelming vote total.
Democrat Safiya Wazir, 27, a mother of two who escaped Afghanistan as a child, defeated Republican Dennis Soucy for the seat in New Hampshire.