ACLU warns new House bill would give Trump 'dangerous' tool to stifle free speech and target political enemies

Source: The Independent

Wednesday 13 November 2024 00:35 GMT


The US House of Representatives is considering a bill that critics say would allow president-elect Donald Trump to go after his political enemies and tax-exempt organizations, including news outlets, universities and civil society groups. If enacted, HR 9495 would give the incoming president and his secretary of the Treasury the ability to investigate tax-exempt organizations based on an accusation of wrongdoing. The bill was introduced in September by three Republican members and one Democrat.

The legislators allege a large portion of support for terrorist organizations in the wake of Hamas’s October 7 2023 attack on Israel has been funded by tax-exempt organizations, citing reports of material support going to designated terrorist groups. Current law does not allow the Internal Revenue Service to suspend the tax-exempt status of organizations that have provided material support to such organizations, but it is a federal crime for non-profits to provide material support to terrorist organizations.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and more than 100 other organizations are concerned the bill’s passage could create a law that is “politicized” and “discriminatory” in its enforcement. In an open letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson in September, the organizations warned that the law would authorize “broad and easily abused new powers for the executive branch.”

According to the bill text, the secretary of the Treasury could notify an organization of the department’s intention to classify it as a “terrorist-supporting organization” without reason. The non-profit would have 90 days to appeal the decision before its tax-exempt status is revoked.

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/aclu-trump-house-bill-vote-b2646006.html