Senator Cotton Calls for CAIR's Tax-Exempt Status Revocation Due to Terrorism Ties

Call for Revocation of Tax-Exempt Status

• 🏛️ Senator Tom Cotton has written to IRS Commissioner Billy Long, demanding that the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR) lose its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
• ⚠️ Cotton cites longstanding evidence connecting CAIR to terrorism as the basis for his request.

Allegations and Criticisms of CAIR

• 🎯 Muslim terrorism expert Robert Spencer supports the call, stating CAIR needs to be exposed, investigated, and shut down.
• 📜 CAIR, founded in 1994 as a Muslim advocacy firm, has faced decades of investigations into its alleged ties to terror organizations.
• ⚖️ The U.S. government listed CAIR as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2008 Holy Land Foundation conviction for providing funds to Hamas.

Legal Battles and Founder's Statements

• ⚖️ CAIR sued Navy veteran Andrew Whitehead for defamation in 2004 after he posted online that CAIR is a terrorist-supporting front organization.
• 🤝 The lawsuit was settled out of court, with the statements allowed to remain online, implying they were deemed not false or defamatory.
• 🕌 CAIR was founded by individuals from the Islamic Association for Palestine, identified as a Hamas front.
• 🗣️ CAIR founder Akmad was quoted in 1998 stating Islam's aim in America is to become dominant, with the Quran as the highest authority.

Recent Controversies and CAIR's Response

• 📉 Following the October 7th Hamas attack, CAIR national executive director Nihad Awad expressed happiness about Palestinians breaking the siege, leading the Biden White House to cut ties with the group.
• 📢 CAIR responded to Cotton's letter, calling his demand an un-American political stunt that targets a large Muslim nonprofit for the benefit of the Israeli government and sets a dangerous precedent.
• 💰 Spencer speculates that a full examination of CAIR's funding could reveal surprises, potentially including funding from foreign governments.
• 🌐 CAIR claims only a small percentage of its donations come from foreign sources.