Comer, Foxx Renew Information Request to Treasury Related to Suspicious Activity Reports Associated with Antisemitic Groups
WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) are today reiterating a request to the U.S. Department of the Treasury for Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) for certain groups associated with illegal and antisemitic activities, including on college campuses around the United States. In a letter to Department of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the lawmakers take note that Treasury has yet to produce a single document in response to the Committees’ initial request. Since the Committees’ initial request, reports continue to indicate that several of these organizations are continuing to lead efforts to engage in antisemitic activities.
“Over the summer, illegal and antisemitic activities have continued off-campus, including recent violent demonstrations at the U.S. Capitol and Columbus Circle in Washington, D.C. Four of the entities listed in the Committees’ request are sponsors or active participants in recent events in Washington, D.C.: Westchester Political Action Committee Foundation (WESPAC Foundation), Samidoun, Jewish Voice for Peace, and The People’s Forum. The Palestinian Youth Movement, whose fiscal sponsor is WESPAC Foundation and regularly organizes events with Samidoun, recently took credit for releasing maggots and activating fire alarms in the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C., where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was staying,” the lawmakers wrote.
The Committees initially wrote to Secretary Yellen in May 2024 requesting all SARs connected to twenty organizations that are reported to be leading, financing, and participating in the pro-Hamas, antisemitic, and anti-American protests occurring on college campuses across the U.S. On June 6, 2024, the Committees made an accommodation to Treasury to prioritize a narrowly scoped range of documents, but despite this accommodation, Treasury has not produced the requested documents to date. The Committees are prepared to utilize the compulsory process if Treasury fails to cooperate with this investigation.
“Considering the serious nature of recent illegal and antisemitic events related to entities named in this investigation, it is imperative that Treasury immediately cooperate and provide the requested documents,” the lawmakers continued.
Read the letter to Secretary Yellen here.