One of the biggest promoters of Islam in America, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, has a political action arm, called CAIR Action, that has been operating across the United States “without the licenses, registrations, or legal authority required.”
That’s according to a Free Beacon report, which cited the investigating done by the Network Contagion Research Institute and the Intelligent Advocacy Network.
CAIR itself, of course, is the organization named in 2007 along with others by U.S. prosecutors as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation case, which involved individuals and organizations accused of providing funding to the terrorists in Hamas.
The organization itself actually was not charged with any crime at that time.
But the new report said CAIR Action, the political action part of CAIR, lacks the legal authority to raise funds or conduct political activity in the 22 states where it operates.
“According to a watchdog group, CAIR’s nationwide political machine has systematically evaded state and federal regulators in what may amount to an illicit fundraising scheme,” the report said.
CAIR Action, operating out of Washington, D.C., to push its political operations, collect money and organize voter influence operations, “never obtained the Basic Business License (BBL)” required for it to “legally operate or solicit funds” within D.C. and beyond, the investigation found.
That means the activities are “an unlicensed interstate political-solicitation enterprise operating entirely outside the legal framework required for entities seeking funds across state lines,” the investigation found.
Possible investigations could pursue “wire fraud,” “deceptive solicitation,” and “false statements to the IRS” allegations.
The report said investigators could not find “required corporate registration, charitable filings or solicitation licenses” or any other evidence supporting its legal authorization in any of the 22 states in which CAIR Action operates.
The Free Beacon said, “The report comes after a wave of action against CAIR on both the state and federal levels. Texas governor Greg Abbott (R.) last week ordered an investigation into the group after designating it a Foreign Terrorist Organization, citing the FBI in accusing CAIR of being a ‘front group’ for Hamas. In Congress, Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) has urged the Department of Education to look into a ‘possibly illegal’ partnership between CAIR and K-12 schools and pressed the IRS to review the group’s tax-exempt status. Alongside Rep. Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.), Cotton called on the Treasury Department to investigate ties between Hamas and CAIR, whose leader, Nihad Awad, said he was ‘happy to see’ Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel.”
Key to the investigation was the fact that CAIR Action “is only registered as an out-of-state nonprofit corporation” in California.
“It is not registered with the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts, as is required within 60 days of fundraising in the state, and has not filed the CT-1 form necessary for any charitable organization to operate. In fact, CAIR Action ‘has received no authorization to solicit funds,’ according to a Nov. 3 letter from the California Attorney General’s office contained in the NCRI report,” the Free Beacon noted.
The investigators explained in Washington, CAIR Action’s failure to obtain a business license leaves its fundraising, political endorsements and much more in a legal gray area.
“Because CAIR Action is not legally authorized to operate even in its home jurisdiction, every state where it solicits can treat its fundraising and political influence as presumptively unlawful—and since CAIR Action is openly presented as CAIR National’s political arm, any unauthorized solicitation or electioneering it conducts becomes CAIR National’s responsibility,” the report stated.
The report continued, “Yet in the 21 states beyond California, multiple searches revealed no required corporate registration, state charitable filings or solicitation licenses, and no legal authorization of any kind. Despite this complete absence of compliance, CAIR Action continues to solicit money, promote paid memberships, and engage voters while portraying itself as a lawful national political entity.”
CAIR Action told the Free Beacon is complies “fully” with federal and state requirements for its organization.
