Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, has called on the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to investigate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and consider revoking its nonprofit status. The senator alleges that the organization has ties to terror groups, including Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. This comes as the U.S. faces increasing tensions over Islamic extremism and the role of advocacy groups in potential support for terrorist activities.
Cotton’s letter to the IRS references CAIR’s connection to the Palestine Committee of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was involved in the largest terrorism-financing case in U.S. and global history. The Holy Land Foundation (HLF) was found to have provided over $12.4 million to Hamas through material support, including financial and logistical assistance. CAIR was listed as an unindicted coconspirator in this case, and although the organization tried to remove its name from the list, it was not successful. The Department of Justice (DOJ) concluded that HLF and its leadership had actively supported Hamas, leading to charges of conspiracy and money laundering.
Cotton argues that the IRS has a legal obligation to assess whether nonprofit organizations are operating in accordance with their exempt purpose, noting that tax-exempt status is a privilege, not a right. He emphasizes that granting such status should not be used to support entities with potential links to terrorism. In contrast, CAIR has denounced the senator’s demands, calling them ‘based on debunked conspiracy theories.’ The organization has likened Cotton’s request to the IRS to the McCarthy era, highlighting its stance against what it views as political persecution.
CAIR, which has been a prominent civil rights group in the U.S., has spent over three decades defending the Constitution, combating anti-Muslim bigotry, and opposing injustice globally, including discrimination, hate crimes, and ethnic cleansing. While the organization has condemned the Hamas attacks on Israel, including the October 7 incident, it has also drawn criticism for its handling of these issues, specifically after its national executive director, Nihad Awad, appeared to endorse the attacks. The Biden administration disavowed CAIR after Awad made controversial statements about the October 7 attacks, with Awad expressing happiness at the attacks and asserting that Israel had no right to self-defense.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has also criticized Awad for his remarks on U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran’s nuclear sites, including remarks that referred to the U.S. and Israeli governments as ‘Israeli-occupied territories.’ These comments have further fueled the controversy surrounding CAIR, with critics arguing that the organization’s actions undermine its credibility as a legitimate civil rights group. The situation raises broader questions about the role of advocacy groups in U.S. politics and the balance between free speech and national security concerns.
As the debate over CAIR’s nonprofit status continues, the case underscores the ongoing tensions between political figures and advocacy groups, particularly in relation to issues of national security, civil rights, and the influence of foreign entities within the United States. The role of the IRS in this matter highlights the potential consequences for organizations that are perceived to have ties to extremist groups, even if such allegations are disputed by the groups themselves.