(ReclaimingAmerica.net) – In what could very well be a new instance of pro-left repression, a conservative group – the David Horowitz Freedom Center – previously targeted by leftist organizations, is now the subject of a massive IRS probe, which it says is politically motivated and threatens to destroy it.
This California-based nonprofit, which has championed conservative ideologies since its establishment in 1988, is at risk of losing its nonprofit status over allegations by the IRS that it engaged in prohibited political activities, specifically electioneering.
The Center vehemently denies these allegations, arguing that the investigation is a manifestation of the IRS being used as a tool against conservative entities, The Daily Wire reports.
Daniel Greenfield, the Vice President of the Freedom Center, highlighted that the IRS’s concerns stem from articles published by the Center about the political figures Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during the 2016 election cycle.
“The basis for the investigation is that we’ve been covering the election,” Greenfield said.
“Leftist nonprofits are actually engaged in straight up electioneering. They register voters. They fund litigation, they’re engaged in protest. All we did was engage in journalism,” he added.
The IRS’s scrutiny began in 2019, focusing on the Center’s journalistic endeavors, including accusations against Hillary Clinton of violating U.S. espionage laws.
The core of the IRS’s claim against the Center is its supposed violation of rules against participating in political campaigns.
However, the Freedom Center maintains that it has never endorsed any candidates or engaged in campaign activities.
Amid this backdrop of IRS investigation, Greenfield recalled a history of attacks against the Freedom Center, including campaigns led by other organizations aimed at undermining its financial operations and legitimacy.
One notable campaign, “Blood Money,” initiated by the now-dissolved nonprofit Color of Change, sought to sever the Freedom Center’s financial transactions through Visa and Mastercard.
This campaign was part of a broader context of attempts to delegitimize the Center, following its designation as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and subsequent calls for its nonprofit status to be revoked.
The looming threat of dissolution due to the IRS’s complaint has placed the Freedom Center in a precarious financial position, facing significant legal costs.
“I’d like to say we’re a unique target. We’re not a unique target. There’s a larger phenomenon going on here,” Greenfield concluded.
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