May 26, 2010<\/p>\n
The Honorable Steve King
\n1131 Longworth Office Building
\nWashington, DC 20515<\/p>\n
Dear Congressman King:<\/p>\n
I write to alert you to a possible violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in which you, along with the organizers of the inaugural Tennessee Tea Party Convention and respected writer and non-profit Executive Director Pamela Geller, were apparently the target of a foreign influence operation. It is our assessment that the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) was operating as an unregistered foreign agent when they called on the Tea Party organizers to drop, at they termed it, \u201cextremist anti-Islam speaker, far-right blogger Pamela Geller,\u201d in a May 20, 2010 press release. CAIR also requested that you cancel your keynote address \u201cif Geller is kept on the schedule.\u201d We believe that this specific act to pressure a member of Congress, a grassroots citizens organization and a writer and non-profit executive director meets the definition of a political influence operation under the terms of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).<\/p>\n
FARA is a disclosure statute that requires entities acting in the United States as agents of foreign principals in a political capacity to register and to make periodic public disclosure of their relationship.<\/p>\n
Specifically, FARA \u00a7 611 (o) states that foreign agents who engage in any activity to \u201cinfluence any agency or official of the Government of the United States or any section of the public within the United States\u201d must register as a foreign agent and report such activity to the Department of Justice. At the CAIRObservatory.org website (http:\/\/www.cairobservatory.org), we provide documentation showing CAIR has met and coordinated with representatives of foreign principals on more than 30 occasions and engaged in over 60 political influence operations on their behalf. CAIR has failed to report these influence operations.<\/p>\n
In addition, FARA \u00a7 612 (a) (5) requires that a foreign agent report \u201cthe nature and amount of contributions, income, money, or thing of value\u201d that they receive from foreign principals. At the CAIRObservatory.org website we provide documentation showing that CAIR has received more than $6.6 million in cash and loans and more than $50 million in pledges from foreign principals based in Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. CAIR has failed to report these payments.<\/p>\n
FARA \u00a7 618 (a) also states that any foreign agent who willfully violates any provision of the law may be \u201cpunished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for not more than five years, or both.\u201d Complete information on these and other aspects of the FARA code can be found at the Department of Justice website (http:\/\/www.justice.gov\/criminal\/fara\/).<\/p>\n
It is our opinion that the evidence showing that CAIR should register as a foreign agent is conclusive. Hundreds of Americans including elected officials, community groups, corporations and private citizens have been \u2013 and continue to be \u2013 targeted by CAIR. CAIR continues to deny these facts, but as John Adams famously wrote: \u201cFacts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fact is that CAIR has a long history of trouble with the law. CAIR was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in U.S. v. Holy Land Foundation, the largest terrorism finance trial in America\u2019s history. CAIR is being sued by Muslim, African-American and Hispanic families for defrauding them instead of giving them promised legal help. Four CAIR leaders have been convicted of felonies including terrorism. Only 1% of CAIR\u2019s latest reported revenues actually came from Muslim-American membership dues. And according to the February 2, 2010 edition of the news website Politico.com, \u201cA grand jury that subpoenaed documents relating to the Council on American-Islamic Relations is investigating possible violations of federal laws barring financial transactions with terrorist groups and countries subject to U.S. sanctions, according to a new court filing.\u201d<\/p>\n
We have concluded on the basis of this evidence that CAIR\u2019s influence operations appear to be designed to intimidate all Americans, including Muslim Americans, in ways that endanger the First Amendment and national security. CAIR attempts to silence anyone opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood\u2019s insinuation of Shariah \u2013 the totalitarian doctrine of authoritative Islamic law \u2013 into the United States, with a relentless program of accusations of bias, racism and \u201cIslamophobia.\u201d We urge you to join us in opposing these political influence operations funded by foreign principals.<\/p>\n
The interests of the American people can be served only if CAIR follows the law, registers as a foreign agent with the FARA office, and reports all political and public propaganda initiatives. We ask you to request that the FARA Unit investigate CAIR\u2019s attempted influence operation to intimidate the organizers of the Tennessee Tea Party Convention and prevent you and Pamela Geller from speaking freely at the event. The FARA Registration Unit of the Counterespionage Section (CES) is located in the National Security Division (NSD) of the Department of Justice (1400 New York Avenue, N.W., Suite 100, Washington, D.C. 20005).
\nSincerely,<\/p>\n
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.
\nPresident & CEO<\/p>\n
Attachments:
\nLetter to Foreign Agents Registration Unit
\nCAIR May 20, 2010 press release<\/p>\n