A government watchdog group is accusing CAIR Action Inc., the political advocacy arm of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, of soliciting donations in New York without registering with the state, alleging the fundraising was tied to endorsements of Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates during New York City’s June Democratic primary elections.
It’s not the fist time the organization has received scrutiny for illegal funds.
According to a report by the Intelligent Advocacy Network (IAN), CAIR Action distributed a voter guide endorsing several candidates, including Brad Lander, Darializa Avila Chevalier, and Claire Valdez. The guide included a QR code directing supporters to make donations to CAIR Action. Several of the endorsed candidates went on to win their primaries and also received support from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, according to The New York Post.
IAN argues that the fundraising violated New York law, which generally requires charitable organizations soliciting contributions from state residents to register with the New York Attorney General’s Office under Article 7-A.
“Three congressional candidates appear to be on a path to victory on the strength of support published by an organization that had no legal right to raise a dollar there,” IAN CEO Susan George said. She added that CAIR Action continues to solicit donations in New York and other states.
CAIR Action, a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) organization, has previously faced scrutiny over its fundraising practices. According to the IAN report, California’s attorney general barred the organization from soliciting donations until it completed the state’s registration process earlier this year. The report also states that CAIR Action paid a $2,499 fine in Washington, D.C., after allegedly engaging in unlicensed charitable solicitation.
The allegations come as online political fundraising has faced heightened scrutiny in recent months. Earlier this week, New Conservative Post reported on an 88-year-old Michigan woman whose name appeared in federal campaign finance records as having made nearly $150,000 in Democratic donations through more than 14,000 ActBlue transactions over a five-year period. The woman acknowledged making some donations to Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed but said she was unaware of the volume and value of the contributions attributed to her. “I think it’s wrong, and I think there’s something in there that’s off,” she told Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Charlie LeDuff. No wrongdoing has been established in that case, but it has prompted additional questions about transparency and oversight in political fundraising.
It is unclear how much money, if any, CAIR Action raised through the voter guide. As a 501(c)(4) organization, it is not required to publicly disclose detailed donation information until its next federal tax filings.
The organization describes its mission as mobilizing support for public policy priorities affecting Muslim communities and civil rights.
The Intelligent Advocacy Network has urged the New York Attorney General’s Office to investigate the matter, citing previous enforcement actions against organizations accused of soliciting donations without proper registration. As of now, no enforcement action or formal charges have been announced.
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