A group has sent a nearly 1,400-page filing to the Internal Revenue Service demanding that it �retroactively revoke� the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s tax-exempt status.
The group, known as the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy, or IRmep, claims in the filing that AIPAC’s original application for tax-exempt status contains “fraudulent representations and omissions.”
The group also noted that the pro-Israel lobbying organization has been investigated by the FBI and is currently in a civil suit over the acquisition and movement of classified information. The filing argues that these activities show AIPAC does not qualify as a “social welfare” organization.
IRmep’s leader called in to a radio show on NPR in January where IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman was the guest and asked about some of the charges…The group [AIPAC] has endured its share of controversies over the years, but it nevertheless remains politically influential. However, AIPAC has also seen its influence as a lobbyist in Washington for Israeli causes challenged in recent years by more liberal groups such as J Street, and the IRS filing could further erode its support and imperil its tax status. IRmep is another group that has been battling AIPAC, and the IRS filing is the most recent salvo in that campaign….MoreKPFK Radio Interview