Tareq Salahi
Encyclopedia
Tareq Dirgham Salahi is a former American vintner
and former public official. He and his wife, Michaele, gained national attention in November 2009 by allegedly crashing a White House state dinner
in honor of India
's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
. In 2010, the couple were featured in the Bravo reality television show The Real Housewives of D.C.
and immigrated to the United States
from Jerusalem, British Mandate of Palestine in the 1940s. His mother, Corinne, is from Belgium
. Dirgham was educated as a petroleum geologist
and worked in the Middle East
and U.S. He retired and settled in Virginia
, where he became manager of an estate farm, which he subsequently bought. Corinne Salahi is the founder and director of the Montessori School of Alexandria
, Virginia.
Tareq attended primary school at Ascension Academy in Alexandria and high school at the Randolph-Macon Academy
in Front Royal
, Virginia, where he graduated in 1987. He graduated from the University of California, Davis
in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in oenology
and business management.
Tareq met Michaele Holt at a 2000 baby shower thrown in McLean
, Virginia, by real estate developer N. Casey Margenau and his wife Molly. They married in 2003 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle
in Washington, D.C. The reception was held at the Salahi family winery and was prepared by 46 chefs, hosted in a 36000 square feet (3,344.5 m²) tent, and culminated with a thirty-minute fireworks display and an eight-foot wedding cake. The guest list included 1,836 guests, including Supreme Court Justice
Anthony Kennedy
and former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland
Margaret Heckler
. The wedding, originally scheduled for October 2002, had been postponed numerous times, prompting Kennedy to quip that he needed to issue "subpoenas" to the bride and groom.
On September 16, 2011, Tareq filed for divorce from Michaele following her association with Neal Schon
, a member of the rock band Journey
.
, Virginia
. They planted some of the first Chardonnay
, Cabernet Sauvignon
and Merlot
vines in Virginia, establishing the fifth winery in the commonwealth. The Salahis developed the business into a 15,000-case-a-year operation, and, according to court papers, grossed as much as $1 million in annual revenue in some years. The vineyard's Meritage line won Gold Medals at the 1994 and 1996 world wine championships. In 1998, Oasis launched a Cuvee "Celebration" sparkling wine which also garnered top awards.
In 1994, they formed Oasis Vineyard Inc. and appointed Tareq general manager. Tareq eventually gained a 5% minority interest in the vineyard. According to court papers, Tareq also began operating a new business out of the vineyard, Oasis Enterprises, which was developed to raise ancillary income as a venue for polo
events and other functions such as weddings. Oasis Enterprises included a limo operation, wine country tours, and an events-and-catering business. A dispute arose amongst the Salahi family regarding business matters between Oasis Vineyard and Oasis Enterprises, and the winery started losing money. A lawsuit was filed, in which the Salahi family alleged, according to court filings, that assets were misdirected to Oasis Enterprises from the winery and that Tareq was misrepresenting himself as the President of the winery. Tareq fought the charges and made counter allegations against his parents and their lawyer. He began to seek investors to buy the property from his parents, but no deal was ever reached. The winery ceased operations, and the lawsuit was dropped without resolution.
On October 6, 2010, Dirgham Salahi died and Tareq issued a statement that read "In recent days, we have come together as a family."
in recognition of his fundraising achievements.
Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore
appointed Tareq in 2000 to a three-year term on the Virginia Wine Board. At the conclusion of that term, Virginia Governor Mark Warner
nominated Tareq as chairman of the Virginia Wine Tourism Office. Tareq was one of 15 board members of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, a "board that shapes Virginia's tourism policy", appointed by Gov. Tim Kaine
in 2006. Kaine told MSNBC
:
wrote a letter to Gov. Kaine asking for Salahi's removal from the board: "Mr. Salahi's recent outrageous behavior and personal promotion in regards to trespassing in the White House is not the face we need for Virginia tourism…I would appreciate you taking swift action to avoid any further negative situations." Salahi resigned from the Virginia Tourism Board on December 7, 2009.
Salahi was a member of the board of the directors of the American Task Force on Palestine
.
at 5 and competed in numerous international Grand Prix events before taking up polo at 16. He was a regular competitor on the U.S. National Team and his Oasis squad won two U.S. Polo Association National Arena Titles in 1997 and 1998.
Salahi was involved with running the Courage Cup in 2006, a polo charity event to raise funds for urban youth to experience equestrian activities. A dispute over control, vendor payment, and use of proceeds from the Courage Cup reportedly led the Salahis to found the America's Polo Cup in 2007. Allegations of misuse of proceeds from the new charitable event arose, and in December 2009 the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services opened an investigation into the annual event.
The 2010 America's Polo Cup match took place on June 12 on the National Mall
in Washington, D.C., with teams announced as United States and India. The advertised ticket price for the event was $95 per person. The event had an attendance of about 250 people, with food from Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. Reports of the event stated that the players who represented India were actually of Pakistan
i origin and were from Florida
. A spokesman for the Embassy of India stated that neither the Embassy nor the government of India
had any association with the event. The event's website and the US team's uniforms identified an Indian company, Kingfisher Beer
, as a sponsor. A spokesperson for Kingfisher denied that the company had sponsored the event.
In the 2009 White House gatecrash incident Tareq and Michaele Salahi entered a state dinner
despite lacking an invitation. Michaele Salahi is a member of Bravo's The Real Housewives of Washington, D.C.
, and the show filmed their preparations for the dinner and followed the couple to the White House. Tim Burke, who directed MTV Blaggers!, in which a group of friends gatecrash high-profile events and parties, said he was contacted by Salahi a week before the White House incident. Salahi asked him for advice on tricking his way into a black-tie
event.
Following the event Tareq Salahi was requested by the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee to appear at a hearing on December 3, 2009, but he refused to attend. On December 9, 2009, the Committee on Homeland Security voted 26 to 3 to subpoena
Tareq Salahi, and 27 to 2 to subpoena Michaele, for a hearing on the alleged gatecrash scheduled for January 20, 2010. The Salahis invoked the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
at the hearing. The Salahis' attorney, Stephen Best, described the Congressional inquest as "...not a hearing looking for information. This was an opportunity for a public flogging."
Vintner
A vintner is a wine merchant. You pronounce it like this In some modern use, in particular in American English, the term is alsoused as a synonym for winemaker....
and former public official. He and his wife, Michaele, gained national attention in November 2009 by allegedly crashing a White House state dinner
2009 U.S. state dinner security breaches
On November 24, 2009, Michaele and Tareq Salahi , a married couple from Virginia, and Carlos Allen , attended a White House state dinner for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, allegedly without being invited guests. The Salahis and Allen arrived separately and did not appear to have colluded in...
in honor of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
. In 2010, the couple were featured in the Bravo reality television show The Real Housewives of D.C.
The Real Housewives of Washington, D.C.
The Real Housewives of D.C. is an American reality television program that debuted on the Bravo network Thursday, August 5, 2010. It was the network's fifth installation of The Real Housewives of... series, following The Real Housewives of Orange County, New York City, Atlanta, and New Jersey.Bravo...
Family and education
Tareq Salahi's father, Dirgham Salahi was PalestinianPalestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from Jerusalem, British Mandate of Palestine in the 1940s. His mother, Corinne, is from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Dirgham was educated as a petroleum geologist
Petroleum geologist
A petroleum geologist is an occupation that involves all aspects of oil discovery and production in the field of petroleum geology. Petroleum geologists are usually linked to the actual discovery of oil and the identification of possible oil deposits or leads. It can be a very labor intensive task...
and worked in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and U.S. He retired and settled in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, where he became manager of an estate farm, which he subsequently bought. Corinne Salahi is the founder and director of the Montessori School of Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, Virginia.
Tareq attended primary school at Ascension Academy in Alexandria and high school at the Randolph-Macon Academy
Randolph-Macon Academy
Founded in 1892, Randolph-Macon Academy is a coeducational college preparatory school for students in grades 6-12 and postgraduates in Virginia, USA. The school features both a boarding and day school program. Randolph-Macon Academy is affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
in Front Royal
Front Royal, Virginia
Front Royal is a town in Warren County, Virginia, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Warren County.-Geography:Front Royal is roughly west of Washington, D.C....
, Virginia, where he graduated in 1987. He graduated from the University of California, Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in oenology
Oenology
Oenology,[p] œnology , or enology is the science and study of all aspects of wine and winemaking except vine-growing and grape-harvesting, which is a subfield called viticulture. “Viticulture & oenology” is a common designation for training programmes and research centres that include both the...
and business management.
Tareq met Michaele Holt at a 2000 baby shower thrown in McLean
McLean, Virginia
McLean is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. The community had a total population of 48,115 as of the 2010 census....
, Virginia, by real estate developer N. Casey Margenau and his wife Molly. They married in 2003 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle
Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle
The Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington D.C., most commonly known as St. Matthew's Cathedral, is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington. As St...
in Washington, D.C. The reception was held at the Salahi family winery and was prepared by 46 chefs, hosted in a 36000 square feet (3,344.5 m²) tent, and culminated with a thirty-minute fireworks display and an eight-foot wedding cake. The guest list included 1,836 guests, including Supreme Court Justice
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States...
Anthony Kennedy
Anthony Kennedy
Anthony McLeod Kennedy is an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, having been appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. Since the retirement of Sandra Day O'Connor, Kennedy has often been the swing vote on many of the Court's politically charged 5–4 decisions...
and former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland
United States Ambassador to Ireland
There have been a total of 30 Ambassadors of the United States to Ireland meaning the Republic of Ireland. All except one, Frederick A. Sterling, have been non-career appointees, while there were three under President George W. Bush.-List of Ambassadors:...
Margaret Heckler
Margaret Heckler
Margaret Mary Heckler is a Republican politician from Massachusetts who served in the United States House of Representatives for eight terms, from 1967 until 1983 and was later the Secretary of Health and Human Services and Ambassador to Ireland under President Ronald Reagan...
. The wedding, originally scheduled for October 2002, had been postponed numerous times, prompting Kennedy to quip that he needed to issue "subpoenas" to the bride and groom.
On September 16, 2011, Tareq filed for divorce from Michaele following her association with Neal Schon
Neal Schon
Neal George Joseph Schon is an American rock guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist best known for his work with the band Journey. He is the only member to have recorded on all of Journey's albums...
, a member of the rock band Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
.
Oasis Winery
In 1977, the Salahi family founded the Oasis Winery on their estate farm in HumeHume, Virginia
Hume is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia. Hume is located five miles south of Interstate 66's Exit 18 and is named for the local Hume family. It runs along Virginia State Route 688. It is located east of the Rappahannock County line...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. They planted some of the first Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
and Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
vines in Virginia, establishing the fifth winery in the commonwealth. The Salahis developed the business into a 15,000-case-a-year operation, and, according to court papers, grossed as much as $1 million in annual revenue in some years. The vineyard's Meritage line won Gold Medals at the 1994 and 1996 world wine championships. In 1998, Oasis launched a Cuvee "Celebration" sparkling wine which also garnered top awards.
In 1994, they formed Oasis Vineyard Inc. and appointed Tareq general manager. Tareq eventually gained a 5% minority interest in the vineyard. According to court papers, Tareq also began operating a new business out of the vineyard, Oasis Enterprises, which was developed to raise ancillary income as a venue for polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
events and other functions such as weddings. Oasis Enterprises included a limo operation, wine country tours, and an events-and-catering business. A dispute arose amongst the Salahi family regarding business matters between Oasis Vineyard and Oasis Enterprises, and the winery started losing money. A lawsuit was filed, in which the Salahi family alleged, according to court filings, that assets were misdirected to Oasis Enterprises from the winery and that Tareq was misrepresenting himself as the President of the winery. Tareq fought the charges and made counter allegations against his parents and their lawyer. He began to seek investors to buy the property from his parents, but no deal was ever reached. The winery ceased operations, and the lawsuit was dropped without resolution.
On October 6, 2010, Dirgham Salahi died and Tareq issued a statement that read "In recent days, we have come together as a family."
Public service
Tareq Salahi sat on the board of the American Task Force on Palestine, and in 2002 Tareq was named National Man of the Year by the Leukemia & Lymphoma SocietyLeukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society , founded in 1949, is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. LLS's mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of...
in recognition of his fundraising achievements.
Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore
Jim Gilmore
James Stuart "Jim" Gilmore III is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Virginia, former 68th Governor of Virginia, and a member of the Republican Party. A native Virginian, Gilmore studied at the University of Virginia, and then served in the U.S. Army as a counterintelligence agent...
appointed Tareq in 2000 to a three-year term on the Virginia Wine Board. At the conclusion of that term, Virginia Governor Mark Warner
Mark Warner
Mark Robert Warner is an American politician and businessman, currently serving in the United States Senate as the junior senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of...
nominated Tareq as chairman of the Virginia Wine Tourism Office. Tareq was one of 15 board members of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, a "board that shapes Virginia's tourism policy", appointed by Gov. Tim Kaine
Tim Kaine
Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is a Virginia politician. Kaine served as the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011...
in 2006. Kaine told MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
:
Tareq had served on the state's wine board under both Gov. Gilmore and Gov. Warner, and when his term on the wine board finished, he and the tourism board wanted him on that board because he's a great promoter—you won't be surprised to hear me say that.During his time in office the Virginia Wineway, Loudoun Wine Trail, Blue Ridge Wineway and Virginia Wineries Alliance were created, attracting, according to a USDA study, 980,000 wine tourists to the state, of which 336,000 visited Piedmont wineries. Virginia Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment
Tommy Norment
Thomas K. "Tommy" Norment, Jr. is an American politician of the Republican Party. Since 1992 he has been a member of the Senate of Virginia...
wrote a letter to Gov. Kaine asking for Salahi's removal from the board: "Mr. Salahi's recent outrageous behavior and personal promotion in regards to trespassing in the White House is not the face we need for Virginia tourism…I would appreciate you taking swift action to avoid any further negative situations." Salahi resigned from the Virginia Tourism Board on December 7, 2009.
Salahi was a member of the board of the directors of the American Task Force on Palestine
American Task Force on Palestine
The American Task Force on Palestine is an organization founded in 2003 to advocate that it is in the American national interest to promote an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through the creation of a Palestinian state that will live alongside Israel in peace and security...
.
Polo
Salahi describes himself as an experienced horseman who started show jumpingShow jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
at 5 and competed in numerous international Grand Prix events before taking up polo at 16. He was a regular competitor on the U.S. National Team and his Oasis squad won two U.S. Polo Association National Arena Titles in 1997 and 1998.
Salahi was involved with running the Courage Cup in 2006, a polo charity event to raise funds for urban youth to experience equestrian activities. A dispute over control, vendor payment, and use of proceeds from the Courage Cup reportedly led the Salahis to found the America's Polo Cup in 2007. Allegations of misuse of proceeds from the new charitable event arose, and in December 2009 the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services opened an investigation into the annual event.
The 2010 America's Polo Cup match took place on June 12 on the National Mall
National Mall
The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The National Mall is a unit of the National Park Service , and is administered by the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit...
in Washington, D.C., with teams announced as United States and India. The advertised ticket price for the event was $95 per person. The event had an attendance of about 250 people, with food from Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. Reports of the event stated that the players who represented India were actually of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i origin and were from Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. A spokesman for the Embassy of India stated that neither the Embassy nor the government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
had any association with the event. The event's website and the US team's uniforms identified an Indian company, Kingfisher Beer
Kingfisher (beer)
Kingfisher beer is an Indian beer brewed by United Breweries Group. The brand was launched in 1978. With a market share of over 36%, it is India's largest selling beer, with 1 out of every 3 bottles of beer sold in India being a Kingfisher brand...
, as a sponsor. A spokesperson for Kingfisher denied that the company had sponsored the event.
Gate-crashing
In the 2009 White House gatecrash incident Tareq and Michaele Salahi entered a state dinner
State dinner
A state dinner is a dinner or banquet paid by a government and hosted by a head of state in his or her official residence in order to renew and celebrate diplomatic ties between the host country and the country of a foreign head of state or head of government who was issued an invitation. In many...
despite lacking an invitation. Michaele Salahi is a member of Bravo's The Real Housewives of Washington, D.C.
The Real Housewives of Washington, D.C.
The Real Housewives of D.C. is an American reality television program that debuted on the Bravo network Thursday, August 5, 2010. It was the network's fifth installation of The Real Housewives of... series, following The Real Housewives of Orange County, New York City, Atlanta, and New Jersey.Bravo...
, and the show filmed their preparations for the dinner and followed the couple to the White House. Tim Burke, who directed MTV Blaggers!, in which a group of friends gatecrash high-profile events and parties, said he was contacted by Salahi a week before the White House incident. Salahi asked him for advice on tricking his way into a black-tie
Black tie
Black tie is a dress code for evening events and social functions. For a man, the main component is a usually black jacket, known as a dinner jacket or tuxedo...
event.
Following the event Tareq Salahi was requested by the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee to appear at a hearing on December 3, 2009, but he refused to attend. On December 9, 2009, the Committee on Homeland Security voted 26 to 3 to subpoena
Subpoena
A subpoena is a writ by a government agency, most often a court, that has authority to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of subpoena:...
Tareq Salahi, and 27 to 2 to subpoena Michaele, for a hearing on the alleged gatecrash scheduled for January 20, 2010. The Salahis invoked the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, protects against abuse of government authority in a legal procedure. Its guarantees stem from English common law which traces back to the Magna Carta in 1215...
at the hearing. The Salahis' attorney, Stephen Best, described the Congressional inquest as "...not a hearing looking for information. This was an opportunity for a public flogging."