Above photo: Volunteers meet at the People’s Forum to organize Palestine solidarity efforts around New York City. Wyatt Souers.
Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and other Republican lawmakers launch direct attack against organizations standing with Palestine.
On September 25, Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson took to social media to attack several pro-Palestine organizations, which have been leading in the solidarity movement across the United States. Johnson referenced the action taken by the United States House Committee on Ways and Means, led by conservative Representative Jason Smith, which has called on the IRS to revoke the tax-exempt status of eight organizations. According to Smith, these organizations have “organized and subsidized illegal activity on college campuses and beyond and have potentially provided support to terrorist organizations overseas.”
The eight organizations are the Alliance for Global Justice, the Westchester Peace Action Committee Foundation, Jewish Voice for Peace, Islamic Relief USA, United Hands Relief, the Peoples Forum, Tides, and Americans for Justice in Palestine Educational Foundation.
“[Jason Smith] and [House Republicans] are putting you on notice. Your tax-exempt status should be revoked immediately,” Johnson said.
Some organizations have responded to these attacks and rejecting what they call political persecution. The Peoples Forum, a New York City based social movement center, was accused by the Ways and Means Committee of engaging “in conduct directly intended to incite riots, cause chaos, and disrupt education on college and university campuses and beyond, all despite its stated tax-exempt purpose and mission designed to support the working class.”
“This conduct is designed to sow chaos and discord in our society, has involved illegal activities, and certainly is not in furtherance of any tax-exempt purpose,” the accusation continues.
The People’s Forum wrote in a statement, “Right-wing Republican speaker of the house Mike Johnson has joined other Republican leaders in a major political attack designed to criminalize dissent, and silence those who oppose the Israeli genocide in Gaza. The allegations are “reminiscent of the worst part of the McCarthy Era,” the organization wrote.