IRS urged to probe tax-exempt groups supporting anti-Israel protests

FIRST ON FOX: Senate Republicans demanded connected Thursday evening an probe into the tax-exempt presumption of respective organizations that person supported assorted anti-Israel and antisemitic protests astatine universities crossed the country. 

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, called connected Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Danny Werfel successful a missive to probe the Americans for Justice successful Palestine Educational Foundation (AJP), the Tides Foundation and the Westchester Peace Action Committee Foundation (WESPAC) implicit their enactment for anti-Israel demonstrations astatine dozens of universities.

American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), a 501(c)(3) that is fiscally sponsored by AJP, denied immoderate "corporate narration with immoderate pupil groups. AMP does not nonstop the activities of immoderate pupil groups. AMP is not the fiscal sponsor of immoderate pupil groups." However, a ineligible typical for AMP told Fox News Digital that it does "issue tiny dollar grants, averaging conscionable nether $500 apiece, for costs associated with already-planned events that volition further AMP's acquisition mission."

Sen. Joni Ernst penned a missive asking for respective organizations to beryllium investigated by the IRS. (Getty Images/File)

"AMP has been scrutinized earlier and has each assurance that it volition erstwhile again beryllium capable to amusement that it operates legally, for ineligible and constitutionally protected purposes, wrong the United States," the typical said. 

"AMP besides supports the rights of immoderate Americans to workout their First Amendment extortion of state of assembly, state of code and state of relation with their peers," they added. 

Neither the Tides Foundation nor WESPAC provided remark to Fox News Digital. 

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She cited a precocious filed suit successful the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against AJP and National Students for Justice successful Palestine (NSJP), brought by victims of the Oct. 7 violent onslaught by Hamas successful Israel. They alleged that AJP is efficaciously a "propaganda part successful the United States" for Hamas and that the radical established the NSJP successful bid "to power hundreds" of chapters astatine schools each implicit the U.S.

The missive was besides signed by 15 different Republicans, including Senate Republican Whip John Thune, R-S.D., who is moving to regenerate Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., arsenic enactment person successful November. Additional signers were Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Mitt Romney, R-Utah, among others.

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The NSJP has been progressive successful protests crossed the country. (Getty Images)

Ernst pointed to the plaintiffs' assertion that AJP and NSJP "were prepared and responded to Hamas’s ‘call for wide mobilization’ by disseminating a manifesto and program of attack" connected Oct. 8, the time pursuing the attack. According to the lawsuit, the manifesto included "materials that look to person been created earlier the attack."

"This ground provides ample grounds for you to initiate your ain probe of these entities’ tax-exempt status," the missive reads. 

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The suit suggested the groups had anterior cognition of the Oct. 7 attack. (Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images)

The Republicans besides noted that "you would not beryllium unsocial successful investigating AJP," citing the information that Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares past twelvemonth began investigating whether AJP "used funds raised for impermissible purposes nether authorities law, including [benefiting] oregon providing enactment to violent organizations."

Fox News Digital reached retired to the IRS and NSJP for comment.

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A Columbia University gathering was precocious taken implicit by anti-Israel protesters. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

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The missive comes aft 2,200 radical person been arrested oregon detained during protests connected astatine slightest 49 assemblage campuses successful 26 antithetic states betwixt April 18 and May 3.

In respective cases, anti-Israel protests included amerciable activity, including the instauration of encampments and the taking implicit of buildings. Some demonstrations person featured antisemitic connection and intimidation arsenic well.