Thread by @LaraFriedmanDC

Hi all. Nerdy policy wonk who follows Congress closely weighing in with a thread on legislation (getting no media coverage) moving rapidly through Congress that targets US non-profit orgs, with the immediate & explicit target being orgs involved in Palestine protesting.

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I'm talking here about a bipartisan legislation the House passed last week (382-11) & that was intro'd last week in the Senate -- HR 6408 & S. 1436.

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congress.gov/bill/118th-con…
congress.gov/bill/118th-con…

This will gives a single US official authority to strip US non-profits orgs of their non-profit status in a peremptory manner, w/ virtually no limitations, accountability, or meaningful recourse, based merely on his declaration they are “terrorist supporting organizations”

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The explicit target of this legislation is orgs involved in/supporting protest against Israel’s war on Gaza, most notably SJP. But of course, if passed into law, it could be used against any tax-exempt org working for an objective disfavored by the Admin in power.

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The intent behind the bill — the targeting of groups engaged in protest for Palestinian rights/lives — has been made explicit - e.g., here's the Chair of the House Ways & Means Committee when it was marking up/passing the bill last November:



5/ waysandmeans.house.gov/event/hearing-…

Reminder: US charitable organizations — like ALL US entities — are already barred, by law, from providing material support for terror & already face intense scrutiny.

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The goal of the new legislation is to dispense with the due process (incl the need for evidence) afforded under law to targeted groups, empowering a single US official to act as prosecutor, judge, jury, & executioner of US orgs whose viewpoints that official disagrees with.

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Those whose prioritize shutting down pro-Palestine protest above all else may view this legislation as excellent news.

Those concerned with Palestinian rights/lives, and those who view with concern the rapid erosion of free speech/protest rights in the US, may disagree.

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Either way, it is remarkable that this legislation--which has profound implications for protest/free speech in the US-- is so far going pretty much unnoticed.

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For more, see post from @CharitySecurity -

Also note: I’m tracking this legislation closely (since it was intro’d in Nov) in my weekly Round-Up. For the latest coverage see:

10/charityandsecurity.org/news/charity-s…
fmep.org/resource/fmep-…

@CharitySecurity Also see: This Bill Would Give the Treasury Nearly Unlimited Power To Destroy Nonprofits —It supposedly bans financing terrorism, but that's already illegal. It's really a power grab for the secretary of the treasury. @matthew_petti

reason.com/2024/04/24/thi…

@CharitySecurity @matthew_petti Upping the ante: letter from House Ways&Means suggests IRS should revoke tax-exempt status of orgs that "promote conduct that is counter to public policy" -- focusing on alleged antisemitism & China influence, so who could object, right?

waysandmeans.house.gov/ways-and-means…

@CharitySecurity @matthew_petti Note: House Ways & Means letter also suggests IRS must vet c3's for "antisemitism" & asks about the definition of "antisemtism" the IRS is using [stay tuned for effort to legislate the IHRA definition of antisemitism into IRS regulations!]

@CharitySecurity @matthew_petti Also see: Lawmakers Ask IRS To Probe Chinese Funding to Anti-Israel Protests [so first they call the protests "terrorism," now they call them "China-funded" -- see how delegitimization of free speech & demonizing of protesters works?]

freebeacon.com/national-secur…