A legal storm has engulfed the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), after two of its board members have taken the unprecedented step of suing its long-serving president, Morton Klein. The lawsuit, filed by Brian Grodman and Paul Tartell, alleges that Klein has engaged in financial misconduct, amassing millions of dollars from the organization inappropriately while mismanaging ZOA's response to the October 7th Hamas attacks. The plaintiffs argue that Klein has effectively sidelined the organization, diminishing its role in the Jewish community’s response to the crisis.
Klein, a figure synonymous with ZOA for decades, has consistently faced accusations of mismanagement. Despite these, he has maintained his position since 1994, navigating the organization through turbulent times. However, this latest lawsuit could pose the greatest threat to his leadership yet, as Grodman and Tartell seek to remove him from his post entirely.
They argue that his self-interest has crippled ZOA, turning it from a once-formidable pro-Israel force into what they describe as "at best an irrelevancy, and at worst a joke." 3 View gallery Morton Klein ( Photo: Gage Skidmore ) In response, Klein has enlisted Marc Kasowitz, a prominent attorney who previously represented Donald Trump as his personal outside attorney, to defend him against these claims. Kasowitz has lashed out at the board members, accusing them of waging a "selfish and ego-driven jihad" against Klein.
He dismisses their accusations as.