Why is Jewish Voice for Peace still tax-exempt?
Jewish Voice for Peace, a tax-exempt organization of activists calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, brags openly about numerous acts of civil disobedience in which arrests were made.
While the arrestees are innocent until proven guilty, JVP has stipulated in writing, emphasis is mine:
“The protest was the latest in a wave of historic protests led by Jewish Voice for Peace that halted Congress, shut down Grand Central Terminal during rush hour traffic, took over the Statue of Liberty, shut down the Manhattan Bridge, disrupted the President’s Hanukkah Party at the White House, and blockaded President Biden’s motorcade.”
CNN confirms, for example, “Demonstrators with Jewish Voice for Peace attempt to block President Joe Biden’s motorcade route during a Pro-Palestinian protest near the U.S. Capitol on March 7, in Washington, D.C.”
Interfering with Congress, shutting down a major railroad station at any time, shutting down the bridge, disrupting a Hanukkah party, and blockading the president’s motorcade all come across as unlawful activity that should result in revocation of 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. The Internal Revenue Service elaborates regarding “Activities that are Illegal or Contrary to Public Policy,” emphasis is mine,
“Not only is the actual conduct of illegal activities inconsistent with exemption, but the planning and sponsoring of such activities are also incompatible with charity and social welfare. Rev. Rul. 75-384 holds that an organization formed to promote world peace that planned and sponsored protest demonstrations at which members were urged to commit acts of civil disobedience did not qualify for IRC 501(c)(3) or (4) exemption. G.C.M. 36153, dated January 31, 1975, states that because planning and sponsoring illegal acts are in themselves inconsistent with charity and social welfare it is not necessary to determine whether illegal acts were, in fact, committed in connection with the resulting demonstrations or whether such a determination can be made prior to conviction of an accused. However, it is necessary to establish that the planning and sponsorship are attributable to the organization, if exemption is to be denied or revoked on this ground.”
The last sentence refers to the IRS’s elaboration that the organization is not responsible for unlawful actions by loose cannon members of the rank and file. If for example a 501(c)(3) organization demonstrates lawfully and a few individuals throw things at police, or engage in looting, the organization is not accountable although the individuals are.
“However, in determining whether illegal activities are substantial, it must be borne in mind that actions by members and officers of an organization do not always reflect on the organization. Because organizations act through individuals, it is necessary to distinguish those activities of individuals that are done in an official capacity from those that are not. Only (1) acts by an organization’s officials under actual or purported authority to act for the organization, (2) acts by agents of the organization within their authority to act, or (3) acts ratified by the organization should be considered as activities ‘of the organization.'”
In this case, however, JVP’s own web site says Jewish Voice for Peace led protests that involved shutting down Congress, blockading the president’s motorcade, and so on. This comes across as meaning that these were “acts ratified by the organization.”
Readers who find JVP’s agenda objectionable, along with credibly alleged actions that are not protected by the First Amendment, can take action by filing Form 13909 with the Internal Revenue Service’s Exempt Organizations Division. The IRS will not revoke a tax exemption just because somebody doesn’t like somebody else, nor should it. It may do so when given objective evidence, such as printouts of the organization’s own web pages or reports from credible news sources, that the organization has engaged in unlawful civil disobedience.
501(c)(3)s are meanwhile absolutely forbidden to attempt to influence elections. The IRS even has a fast-track process, the Political Activity Compliance Initiative (PACI), to address this. “The Political Activity Compliance Initiative (PACI) addresses all referrals which allege that a 501(c)(3) organization has participated in, or intervened in, a political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office (referred to hereinafter as “political intervention referrals,” or ‘referrals’).” Noting that Black Lives Matter Global Network still hosts web pages that, for example, compare Donald Trump to a Nazi with a neck tattoo when he is likely to be the Republican candidate for president, the IRS’s Exempt Organizations Division should probably know of this as well. BLM has denied the right of Israel to exist, and has praised a terrorist, Rasmea Odeh, who murdered two Jews with a bomb.
Another 501(c)(3), this one a professional society, that joined the anti-Israel boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement was reported for a 2020 web page that compares Trump to a fascist. The issue is not what one thinks of Trump, as a comparison of Joe Biden to a communist would be equally inappropriate; the issue is a 501(c)(3)’s advocacy of the election or defeat of a candidate. We should therefore keep Form 13909 in mind and use it liberally against tax exempt organizations that support the BDS movement while they also engage in unlawful civil disobedience and/or efforts to influence elections.
Civis Americanus is the pen name of a contributor who remembers the lessons of history, and wants to ensure that our country never needs to learn those lessons again the hard way. He or she is remaining anonymous due to the likely prospect of being subjected to “cancel culture” for exposing the Big Lie behind Black Lives Matter.
