EXCLUSIVE — The Anti-Defamation League is pressing state attorneys general in New York and Arizona to investigate the tax-exempt statuses of two anti-Israel groups linked to protests in support of Hamas, according to sets of letters obtained by the Washington Examiner.
The letters, which the ADL sent Tuesday to New York Attorney General Letitia James and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, are the latest escalation by groups tracking antisemitism to demand that pro-Palestinian organizations supporting Hamas after its Oct. 7 attack on Israel be held accountable for shadowy, if not potentially unlawful, funding structures.
The ADL raised concerns to Mayes about the Tucson-based Alliance for Global Justice, which faces an uncertain future after a Washington Examiner investigation into its Palestinian terrorism ties prompted payment processors to kick it off their platforms. Meanwhile, the letter to James focused on both AFGJ and the WESPAC Foundation, a New York-based charity that houses the national Students for Justice in Palestine college campus group and other pro-Hamas projects.
ADL Chief Legal Officer Steven C. Sheinberg told the attorneys general that AFGJ could be landing itself in hot water legally by housing a project called the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, an Israeli-designated terrorist group. Samidoun, as the Washington Examiner reported, shares employees with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine — a U.S.-designated terrorist faction.
"The level of 'control and discretion' exerted by AFGJ over its fiscally sponsored projects is crucial in light of serious concerns that have been raised regarding Samidoun’s endorsement of and/or support for terrorism-related activities, as well as its efforts to expand support for terrorist organizations like Hamas and PFLP in the U.S.," Sheinberg wrote in the letters. "Samidoun’s status as a terrorist organization abroad, or at the very least its connection to known terrorist organizations, calls into question whether AFGJ and its board are exercising the appropriate level of oversight and control over its projects to ensure AFGJ’s charitable assets are being used consistent with its tax exemption."
Meanwhile, when it comes to WESPAC, the ADL raised concerns to James that the charity's projects engage in "blatantly antisemitic activities" that could run afoul of WESPAC's charitable purpose. WESPAC and AFGJ both fiscally sponsor many organizations, meaning they service these projects with key services such as human resources, legal, and donation processing.
The letter to James cited examples of Students for Justice in Palestine chapters endorsing the Oct. 7 attack, while some affiliates have "interfered with the rights and safety of other students and in some cases, led to student arrests," Sheinberg said.
WESPAC also sponsors a project called Within Our Lifetime-United for Palestine that is based in New York and, Sheinberg said, hosts rallies featuring "explicit support for violence against Israeli civilians by U.S. designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and affiliated individuals such as Leila Khaled and Hamas’ military wing spokesperson Abu Obaida."
The ADL highlighted WESPAC's financial disclosures to James, making the argument that the charity on its tax forms "engages in block reporting or ambiguous reporting, which calls into question what the organization is actually spending its money on."
"For example, WESPAC categorically reports $1,465,828 in 'office expenses,'" Sheinberg said, noting that the sum comprises roughly 82% of WESPAC's total expenditures.
"It is unclear why WESPAC would be reporting such a high amount for these types of services, though it’s possible the amount encompasses other types of activities," Sheinberg said. "Further investigation is necessary."
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At the end of the letters, the ADL requested meetings with both state attorneys general. A spokesperson for James confirmed receipt of the letter and said the office is reviewing it.
The Washington Examiner reached out to a spokesperson for Mayes for comment.
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