House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith has initiated an investigation into The People’s Forum, a nonprofit accused of operating as a foreign agent for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) while using U.S. tax-exempt status to fund protests and spread propaganda. Smith’s allegations are part of a broader set of claims regarding foreign influence in U.S. affairs, with the committee focusing on cases where such entities have used U.S. taxpayer subsidies to further foreign agendas. The People’s Forum, according to Smith, has been directly involved in inciting violence and unrest across the United States, and its activities are framed within the context of broader discussions about foreign influence and security risks. The committee is seeking records from The People’s Forum, including donor lists and communications with foreign principals, as part of a larger investigation into the role of such organizations and their potential impact on U.S. society.
The accusations against The People’s Forum include its alleged justification of the October 7 Hamas attacks, which Smith has labeled as a direct promotion of foreign propaganda. This action has been condemned by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who called the group’s stance ‘abhorrent and morally repugnant.’ The People’s Forum is also alleged to have organized a controversial rally in Times Square, which drew national criticism. These events are part of a pattern of alleged incitement that includes riots and disruptive protests at college campuses, as well as violent demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, particularly in Los Angeles where clashes with law enforcement led to numerous arrests. The People’s Forum is further accused of promoting pro-CCP narratives, with events that glorify the Chinese revolution and partnerships with Beijing-aligned collectives such as the Qiao Collective, which are linked to media outlets within Neville Roy Singham’s pro-China influence network.
Smith’s letter highlights the financial ties of The People’s Forum to pro-China sources, including Neville Roy Singham and his wife Jodie Evans, with the group having received $20 million in funding routed through shell companies and donor-advised funds from 2017 to 2022. Smith argues that this financial structure, combined with the nonprofit’s activities, constitutes operating as an unregistered agent of a foreign power under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). The chairman’s allegations are supported by FBI records showing that Singham was investigated in the 1970s for ties to groups ‘inimical to U.S. interests’ and later worked as a consultant for Huawei, a Chinese telecom giant with documented links to the CCP. The People’s Forum has not responded to requests for comment, leaving the committee’s findings and potential legal ramifications to be determined through further legal proceedings and investigations. The case is part of a wider debate over the role of foreign influence in domestic affairs and the accountability of organizations that use U.S. taxpayer benefits for activities that may conflict with national interests.