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A new watchdog investigation has ripped the curtain off what looks like a nationwide, unregulated political machine run by CAIR Action, the political arm of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The Network Contagion Research Institute and the Intelligent Advocacy Network say CAIR Action has been raising money and mobilizing voters in 22 states while lacking the basic registrations and solicitation licenses that every serious advocacy group must have. This isn’t guesswork — investigators called the operation an “unlicensed interstate political-solicitation enterprise,” and those findings demand answers from officials.
Among the most damning details: CAIR Action allegedly never obtained a Basic Business License in Washington, D.C., and investigators could not find required corporate registrations or charitable filings in numerous states where the group solicits donations. The report points out that in California CAIR Action is only registered as an out-of-state nonprofit and did not file the charity registration forms required after fundraising there, according to a November letter from the state attorney general included in the probe. If true, this is not a bureaucratic quirk — it’s a raw transparency failure that leaves donors and voters in the dark.
The investigators also flagged troubling organizational overlap between CAIR Action and CAIR National, describing them as “structurally inseparable” with overlapping leadership, communications, and operations. That matters because a 501(c)(3) charity and a 501(c)(4) political arm are supposed to remain functionally separate under the tax code and election laws; coordination between them can conceal political influence and muzzles accountability. Conservatives who have long argued that institutions must play by the same rules as everyone else should welcome this kind of scrutiny.
Unsurprisingly, CAIR Action pushed back — calling the report “inaccurate and misleading” and insisting it complies with federal and state law. Denials are to be expected whenever watchdogs point to regulatory gaps, but denials don’t erase documentary traces or the simple fact that dozens of states require registration before soliciting money and influencing elections. If the paperwork is missing, the public has a right to know why.
This revelation comes amid a broader storm. State leaders including Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have taken the extraordinary step of labeling CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations at the state level, actions CAIR is now fighting in court. Those designations — and the ensuing legal battles — reflect how serious state officials view the group’s activities and alleged ties. Whether you agree with the designations or not, the point is plain: CAIR and its political arm are under unprecedented scrutiny.
The watchdogs didn’t mince words about potential criminal concerns either, flagging possible violations ranging from deceptive solicitation to wire fraud and false statements — issues that, if substantiated, would bring federal investigators into the picture. Conservatives who believe in the rule of law should demand that prosecutors and the IRS follow the facts wherever they lead, without fear or favor. This is about equal enforcement, plain and simple.
For years many on the left and in the legacy media treated CAIR as an untouchable defender of Muslim Americans — above reproach and shielded from tough questions. That time is over. Americans who pay taxes and support civic groups expect transparency, legal compliance, and loyalty to the rule of law, not opaque political networks that skirt state and local oversight. It’s not anti-Muslim to insist on accountability; it is patriotism.
Congress and federal agencies should stop playing politics and open a full review of the facts laid out by these watchdogs. If organizations want to play in the political arena and raise money nationwide, they must register, file, and report like every other group — no exceptions. State officials who have already acted deserve credit for taking the issue seriously rather than kicking the can down the road.
Americans who love their country — and who believe in fair play and open government — must demand answers now. If CAIR Action has been operating outside the law, that’s not a partisan talking point; it’s a scandal that eats at the foundations of civic life. Let the investigators finish their work, let the courts weigh the evidence, and let the American people decide whether groups that influence our elections are doing so honestly and transparently.
