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In a major win for national security and free speech, this author has successfully defeated a federal lawsuit filed by the South Florida Muslim Federation (SFMF), the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA). The lawsuit stemmed from this author’s lead role in exposing and ultimately shutting down the 2024 Florida Muslim Conference.
This legal victory is not merely a personal triumph – it is a critical win in the broader struggle against the infiltration of jihadist ideology into American civil society. It reaffirms the right of individuals and communities to speak out against Muslim extremism, even in the face of coordinated legal retaliation.
Exposing the Extremism Behind the Florida Muslim Conference
The 2024 conference, organized by SFMF, titled “Lighting the Path,” was originally scheduled for January 2024 at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Coral Springs Hotel & Convention Center. On the surface, it was presented as a family-friendly Muslim community event. In reality, it served as a platform for individuals and groups with deeply troubling histories of support for terrorism, antisemitism, and other radical activities.
This author conducted an exhaustive investigation into the backgrounds of the event’s organizers and speakers, all laid out in a scathing article published by the Middle East Forum’s (MEF) Focus on Western Islamism.
This author, as well, created a 30-page PowerPoint presentation based on his findings, which was shown to the Coral Springs Marriott’s general manager, Mark Cherry. It contained irrefutable proof revealing SFMF’s affiliations with groups and individuals that have either praised Hamas or expressed support for jihadist causes. It displayed the conference’s featured speakers’ promotion of antisemitism and glorification of Hamas violence.
Community Pressure and Hotel Cancellation
The MEF piece triggered an immediate public response. Word spread quickly through the community, prompting a wave of concern among local residents, including some elected officials. Phone calls were made to the Marriott, emails were sent, and petitions were signed, all in an effort to terminate the conference over safety issues. The implications of hosting an event tied to individuals espousing such dangerous ideologies became impossible for the hotel to ignore.
Faced with tremendous public backlash and legitimate security concerns, the Coral Springs Marriott made the decision to cancel the conference.
Legal Retaliation by Islamist Groups
Infuriated by the cancellation, SFMF, CAIR, and their legal allies at MLFA initiated a lawsuit in federal court. The suit named this author and his nonprofit Joe Kaufman Security Initiative, MEF, the Marriott hotel, and various public officials as defendants, claiming that the cancellation was due to anti-Muslim bigotry (“Islamophobia”) and violated their civil rights.
This lawsuit was a textbook case of “lawfare” – the use of legal procedures as a weapon to punish those who challenge radical Islam. The plaintiffs sought to intimidate this author and others into silence and chill future efforts to expose extremism under the guise of religious liberty. However, the facts were on the side of truth and public safety.
Brooke Goldstein and Benjamin Ryberg of The Lawfare Project, a nonprofit that defends the civil rights of those within the Jewish community who are bullied with legal action, stepped in to support this author’s defense. The legal team was led by attorneys Ken Turkel and David Hayes of the nationally recognized law firm Turkel Cuva Barrios.
In May 2025, after months of legal wrangling, the court dismissed the case entirely. The ruling confirmed what this author and his supporters knew all along: that the cancellation of the conference was not an act of discrimination, but a legitimate response to real threats.
Why the Victory Matters
This victory goes far beyond one event or one individual. It establishes that Americans have the right – and the responsibility – to speak up when they see terror-enabling extremism threatening their communities. It affirms that truth, backed by solid evidence, will ultimately prevail over Islamist lies and legal intimidation.
The dismissal of the lawsuit also exposes the true agenda of groups like SFMF and CAIR. Rather than defend the safety and well-being of Floridians, these organizations attempt to use the courts to silence dissent and shield radical anti-American ideologies from scrutiny. Their failure is a win for transparency, accountability, and the safety of the American people.
As documented in this author’s investigation, the 2024 Florida Muslim Conference was not an innocent communal gathering – it was a propaganda platform for individuals and entities who have whitewashed terrorism, justified violence, and undermined American values. Preventing such events from taking place is not only a matter of principle; it is a matter of national security.
Conclusion: A Win for America
In the end, this author’s actions – motivated by a desire to protect the public and expose dangerous actors – were vindicated by the law. The successful defeat of this frivolous and malicious lawsuit is a message to all Americans: You do not have to remain silent in the face of extremism. You can speak up. You can take action. And you can win.
The 2024 conference was cancelled. The lawsuit was dismissed. And the message is clear: In the battle for America’s future as a free Republic, the jihad will not win. Not on this author’s watch and not with the vigilance of all freedom loving Americans.
Beila Rabinowitz, Director of Militant Islam Monitor, contributed to this report.