Democrat Congressman Shri Thanedar, representing Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, has faced allegations and controversies that have been labeled as scandals by some sources, though definitive legal or ethical conclusions vary. All the dirt and scandals involving Rep. Thanedar have resurfaced now that he’s trying to impeach President Donald Trump.
Financial Fraud Allegations (Avomeen Lawsuit, 2017): In November 2017, a buyer of Avomeen Holdings LLC, a chemical testing laboratory Thanedar founded, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Detroit. The lawsuit claimed Thanedar made “fraudulent and misleading representations” about the company’s finances to inflate its value during the sale of a majority stake to High Street Capital in 2016. Thanedar denied these allegations, asserting that Avomeen’s revenues were expected to exceed prior periods. The outcome of the lawsuit is not detailed in the provided sources, leaving the matter unresolved in the public record.
During the 2007–2010 U.S. recession, Thanedar’s company Azopharma faced financial collapse, leading to bankruptcy proceedings. One of its facilities, AniClin (a pharmaceutical testing lab in New Jersey wholly owned by Thanedar), abruptly closed. A 2010 USA Today article reported that laboratory animals (118 beagles and 55 monkeys) were allegedly abandoned after the facility was placed in receivership. Employees reportedly climbed fences to care for the animals until animal welfare organizations gained legal access and facilitated their adoption. Thanedar denied claims of abandonment, and no legal charges related to animal cruelty were reported. This incident has been cited by critics, including on X, as evidence of mismanagement or ethical lapses.
The controversy remains contentious, as Thanedar’s denial contrasts with media reports, but no definitive evidence of intentional neglect or legal consequences has been confirmed in the sources.
Thanedar campaigned for Congress in 2022, pledging to “never take a dime” from corporate political action committees (PACs), criticizing the influence of special interests. However, starting in October 2022, he accepted at least $36,000 from corporate PACs, including those of Google, Pfizer, UPS, Walmart, and defense contractors like Lockheed Martin. This reversal was reported by The Detroit News in 2024, noting that Thanedar removed his anti-PAC pledge from his campaign website. Thanedar defended the decision, stating that corporate PAC contributions were a small fraction of his campaign funds, which he largely self-funded with $2.15 million in personal loans. Critics, including ethics experts, argued this move fueled public cynicism about political integrity.
While not illegal, this shift was seen as a breach of campaign promises, drawing accusations of hypocrisy from opponents and groups like End Citizens United, which tracks PAC funding.
Thanedar has faced criticism for allegedly poor constituent service, particularly in Michigan’s 13th District, which includes Detroit. Posts on X, such as one by @MattHerdman, claim he has “famously bad constituent service,” though specific evidence is anecdotal. A comment on Thanedar’s campaign website referenced frustration with his office’s handling of a constituent’s request for assistance with government benefits, describing it as a “runaround.” These claims have fueled narratives from primary challengers, like State Rep. Donavan McKinney and former State Sen. Adam Hollier, who argue Thanedar is “out of touch” with the district’s needs.
No formal investigations or widespread documentation of systemic constituent service failures are noted, making this issue more perceptual than substantiated.
A former aide accused Thanedar of pressuring congressional staff to perform campaign work, which, if true, could violate House ethics rules prohibiting the use of official resources for political activities. Thanedar’s chief of staff denied the allegation. No formal investigation or resolution is documented in the sources, and the claim remains unproven.
Thanedar has been accused by progressive groups and X users (e.g., @TrackAIPAC
) of being “bribed by AIPAC” (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) due to his acceptance of campaign funds from pro-Israel groups and his consistent votes for unconditional military aid to Israel. Critics highlight his opposition to a House ceasefire resolution, support for sanctioning the International Criminal Court, and votes to criminalize certain criticisms of Israel. These actions have led to accusations of enabling “genocide” in Gaza and flip-flopping on human rights, though these are highly charged, politically motivated claims without legal grounding. Thanedar’s renunciation of the Democratic Socialists of America in 2023 over their stance on Hamas further fueled progressive backlash.
These allegations reflect ideological disputes rather than confirmed scandals, as accepting PAC funds and voting on foreign policy are legal congressional activities. This could be why people are trying to unseat the sitting Democrat.
The Avomeen lawsuit and AniClin animal welfare issue did not result in documented legal convictions or penalties against Thanedar. The corporate PAC funding and staff misuse allegations involve ethical questions but lack evidence of illegality or formal sanctions. The AIPAC-related accusations are primarily ideological critiques, not scandals in a legal sense.
Thanedar’s actions have drawn significant criticism, particularly from progressive groups like Justice Democrats, who are backing primary challengers in 2026. His 2022 election, which ended nearly 70 years of Black representation in Detroit, combined with these controversies, has intensified scrutiny and accusations of being “out of touch.”
Congressman Shri Thanedar has been linked to several controversies that critics describe as scandals, including allegations of financial fraud in the Avomeen sale, animal welfare issues during the AniClin bankruptcy, reversing his anti-corporate PAC pledge, poor constituent service, and misuse of congressional staff. However, most of these issues lack definitive legal or ethical rulings, with Thanedar denying key accusations (e.g., fraud and animal abandonment). The AIPAC funding criticism reflects ideological divides rather than substantiated misconduct. While these controversies have damaged his reputation among some constituents and progressive groups, they have not resulted in formal sanctions or legal consequences based on available information. For a comprehensive understanding, further investigation into primary sources or legal outcomes would be needed.
