The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) will be forced to open its books and reveal its funding sources after a defamation lawsuit it filed against a former employee completely backfired. Dew.
U.S. Magistrate Judge David Schultz on Monday filed a lawsuit against CAIR's donors, sources of funding (including potentially foreign sources), and the The court ruled that all assets owned by the group were “within the scope of permissible disclosure.” group.
Saroya filed a federal defamation complaint in January after CAIR dropped its lawsuit against the former employee. “Defamation Campaign” Opposed the organization, including by implying that CAIR was funded by foreign governments or terrorist organizations.
CAIR argued that Saroya's comments, posted on social media and in comment sections and emailed to the group's supporters, hurt the organization's ability to raise funds and build partnerships, but ultimately The lawsuit was dismissed in January 2022. citing concerns that Saroya's legal team would “demand the names of CAIR supporters who have donated to us.”
Saroya's lawyer, Jeffrey Robbins, described Monday's ruling as “the mother of all legal boomerangs.”
“This is a very important ruling,” Robbins said of the Minnesota District Court judge's order in an interview with the Post, calling it “very methodical, very careful, very detailed.” , very analytical.
Robbins explained that the order will force CAIR to “submit evidence regarding everything from its fundraising practices, including raising and concealing funds from foreign sources.” Whether you deceived your donors. Whether donations were mismanaged. Whether you retaliated against or threatened to retaliate against an employee who raised concerns about sexual harassment or otherwise. ”
The judge said, “The crux of CAIR's allegations against Saroya in the 2021 complaint is that CAIR received funds from foreign governments and terrorists when Saroya said CAIR accepted 'international funds through the Washington Trust Foundation.' It is said that he falsely implied that
Schultz notes that “CAIR has not publicly acknowledged receiving funding from terrorists or through the Washington Trust Foundation,” but that “CAIR has not acknowledged publicly that it has received funding from terrorists or through the Washington Trust Foundation.” is proportionate to the needs of the case.”
He ruled that “CAIR has not shown that the burdens and expenses associated with the proposed discovery exceed the anticipated benefits or unfairly tax resources.” .
CAIR was formed in 1994 by a group of young Muslim activists concerned about the rise in anti-Muslim discrimination and is now the largest Muslim civil rights organization in the United States, with approximately 33 local chapters across the country.
federal tax return It shows that CAIR received more than $5 million in grants and philanthropic donations in both 2021 and 2022.
As a tax-exempt 501(3) nonprofit organization, CAIR generally does not have to reveal information about the identity of its donors.
September 2013 Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Report In CAIR, evidence obtained during a 2008 federal case Holy Land Relief and Development Foundation – American Islamic charities found to have funneled millions of dollars to terrorist organization Hamas – “CAIR was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the case, linking CAIR leaders to Hamas, a specially designated terrorist organization” .”
CAIR officials denied the Justice Department OIG's allegations.
More recently, the White House severed ties with CAIR last year after the group's co-founder Nihad Awad said he was “glad” to have witnessed the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. Ta.
Robbins told the Post he didn't want to speculate on what discovery might reveal about CAIR's funding sources, but said a Minnesota federal court could soon rule on whether the organization could reveal the names of secret donors. He said he expected that a deadline would be set for clarification.
“We asked CAIR to provide documents to show that Mr. Saroya's statements were true, but CAIR took the position that there was no need to hand over those documents,” he said.
“Therefore, the ruling was almost universal that CAIR must indeed produce this evidence.”
Saroya is seeking at least $75,000 in damages from CAIR and an injunction to force the organization to retract a January 2022 press release that allegedly defamed her.
CAIR did not respond to The Post's request for comment.
