Months before this came to light, Awan was suspected of pilfering computer equipment from the offices of U.S. House members. At that time, he was employed and shared by a handful of other representatives as the resident IT expert. Once these suspicions came to light, he was instantly fired from the other office. Only Wasserman Schultz kept him on-board. This was a move that was frequently criticized by her primary opponent and others.
In an interview with the Sun Sentinel, Wasserman Schultz stood in solidarity with her decision to keep Awan on the government payroll for six months after he was banned from the House network and let go by the other members.
“I believe that I did the right thing, and I would do it again,” she said. “There are times when you can’t be afraid to stand alone, and you have to stand up for what’s right.”
She also claims that he may have been over-scrutinized because of his Muslim faith. This belief may have led her to show him favor, because she effectively moved mountains to keep him employed and well-paid. Despite having no access to the network, she also claimed Awan would still be able to help with other tech-related issues, like fixing the printer.