Draft:Christopher Joseph Helali
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Christopher Joseph Helali | |
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Personal details | |
Born | Christopher Joseph Helali Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Nationality | Greek, Iranian, Canadian, American |
Political party | American Communist Party Communist Party USA (2012-2019) |
Other political affiliations | Communist Party of Greece |
Residence(s) | Vershire, Vermont, U.S. |
Alma mater | University of San Diego (BA) Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Masters) Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (MTS) National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (MSc) |
Website | www.christopherhelali.com |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]()
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Years of service | 2017 2011-2015 |
Rank | International Volunteer ![]() |
Battles/wars | Syrian Civil War |
Opponent(s) | ![]() |
Christopher Joseph Helali (Greek: Κρίστοφερ (Χριστόφορος) Τζόζεφ Χελάλι) is an American-born Greek and Iranian Kurdish and Lur Communist, Marxist-Leninist, political activist, farmer, and academic. In November 2024, he was elected to serve as High Bailiff of Orange County, Vermont.[1][2]
Early life and family
[edit]Helali was born on September 18, 1988, in Worcester, Massachusetts.[3] Helali's mother was born in Montreal, Canada and grew up in Greece. His father was born in Malayer, Imperial State of Iran to ethnic Lur and Kurdish parents. His father participated in the Iranian Revolution in 1979.[4]
Education
[edit]Helali attended Paxton Center School (K-8) and Saint John's High School in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. He went on to study philosophy, history, and political science at the University of San Diego. Helali later pursued theology and religious studies at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and Harvard Divinity School.[3]
Political career and beliefs
[edit]Helali ran as a candidate for the United States House of Representatives on November 3, 2020.[5] His platform advocated for eliminating capitalism and replacing it with a "worker's democracy", nationalizing industries, cutting the Pentagon budget by half, and abolishing NATO. He opposed U.S. support for Israel, labeling it an apartheid state and supports reallocating military savings to provide universal healthcare and education.[6]
Helali ran as a candidate for the United States Senate in Vermont on November 8 2022,[7][8] representing the Communist Party. His platform advocated for significant system changes, including the abolition of NATO, the elimination of student loans and debt, and the establishment of guaranteed jobs for every Vermonter. Helali is also concerned about the potential emergence of a new Cold War against Russia and China, advocating for a foreign policy of peace and diplomacy.[4]
From February—March 2024, Helali attended the World Youth Festival 2024, an event for developing international youth cooperation held in Sirius, Russia.[9][10]
Helali also served as the chair of the Orange County Committee and Vershire Town Commitee of the Vermont Progressive Party (VPP), the largest third party in Vermont.[4] In November 2024, Helali was elected High Bailiff of Orange County, Vermont.[1][2]
Military experience
[edit]Helali served as a U.S. Army officer from 2011 to 2015.[7][8] In 2017, he volunteered with the People's Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish defense group in Syria, and fought against ISIS.[11][12]
Discovery of Epstein's contacts list
[edit]In 2020, Helali uncovered Jeffrey Epstein's second "Black Book," a contacts ledger revealing names not previously associated with him. The book, initially discovered on a Manhattan sidewalk in the late 1990s by an East Village resident, eventually found its way to Helali. His discovery was instrumental in sparking extensive media investigations, including by Business Insider, which confirmed the book’s authenticity through forensic analysis and corroboration with historical records.[13][14]
- ^ a b November 14, Staff on; 2024 (2024-11-14). "Helali Wins High Bailiff As Write-In - The White River Valley Herald". The White River Valley Herald - Serving the Communities of Vermont's White River Valley Since 1874. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
{{cite web}}
:|last2=
has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "In America hanno eletto un comunista. Ed è trumpiano". la Repubblica (in Italian). 2024-11-08. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ a b Writer, Staff. "Two Minutes With...Christopher Helali". Worcester Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ a b c "The Communist next door: Christopher Helali of Vermont". suncommunitynews.com. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
- ^ Staff, Seven Days. "Q&A With the Candidates: Representative to Congress". Seven Days. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ Kelley, Kevin J. "An Anarchist-Turned-Communist in Vershire Takes on Rep. Peter Welch". Seven Days. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ a b "Christopher Helali". Christopher Helali for Congress. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
- ^ a b Opinion (2022-03-08). "Christopher Helali: NATO must be abolished to bring peace to Europe". VTDigger. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ "Press Conference on International Youth Festival". 15 February 2024.
- ^ "Briefing & Presentation of World Youth Festival 2024". 15 Feb 2024.
- ^ October 31, Staff on; 2024 (2024-10-31). "Sudden Interest In Unsung Office - The White River Valley Herald". The White River Valley Herald - Serving the Communities of Vermont's White River Valley Since 1874. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
{{cite web}}
:|last2=
has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Rosen, Kenneth R. (2020-09-24). "You Can't Go Home Again". The American Scholar. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ Wang, Meghan Morris, J. K. Trotter, John Cook, Angela. "We found Jeffrey Epstein's other little black book from 1997. Search all 349 names in our exclusive database". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ O'Connell-Joshua, Grace. "A behind-the-scenes look at how Insider reporters stumbled upon Jeffrey Epstein's 2nd little black book". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-12-09.