One of the names that surfaced as a heavy-hitting fundraiser from the Bush-Cheney Campaign headquarters last week is Munr Kazmir, president and CEO of Quality Home Care Providers, Inc., in Leonia, New Jersey. He is counted by the Bush’s (alongwith longtime fundraiser Zach Zachariah of Florida) as a ‘Ranger’ ---- a name reserved for those who have brought in more than $200,000. Kazmir and Zachariah are the two persons of South Asian origin on this list of Republican ‘Rangers.’

According to Federal Election Commission records that News India-Times consulted, Kazmir, who is said to be of mixed Israeli and Pakistani descent, has contributed soft money to the tune of $204,850 to various Republican candidates in various races to date since 1997. He is active in state charities and state and national politics, and served as co-finance chair of the New Jersey Republican State Committee when Christine Todd Whitman was elected governor in 1993.

He also runs Direct Meds, Inc., a prescription drug mail-order company. He was also appointed to the New Jersey Lottery Commission in 2001. He is an Executive Committee member of the American Jewish Congress.

According to Small Business Administration documents, Kazmir’s company, Direct Meds Inc., received one of the largest disaster loans given to small businesses in New Jersey, to the tune of $747,000 in 2003.