What Next | Daily News and Analysis
The House’s Gift to Trump
Dec 2, 2024
In this discussion, Emily Tamkin, a global affairs journalist and author, unpacks the recently passed legislation regarding terrorist financing and American hostages. She highlights concerns over its potential to label nonprofits as terrorist funders, particularly in a politically charged environment with Trump potentially returning to power. Tamkin also addresses how this bill reflects broader threats to democratic freedoms and the chilling effects on civic organizations that advocate for marginalized voices.
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Quick takeaways
- The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties Act's vague language may allow misuse against nonprofits, threatening civic freedoms and due process.
- Democrats are reassessing their support for the bill due to fears of its potential weaponization against political dissent once Trump returns to power.
Deep dives
The Controversial Nonprofit Legislation
The Stop Terror Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act aims to prevent the IRS from penalizing Americans held hostage abroad, a widely supported provision. However, its second component, which seeks to expedite the process of stripping nonprofits of their tax-exempt status if deemed to support terrorism, raises significant concerns. Critics argue that the bill is overly vague, granting excessive discretion to the Treasury Secretary without clear guidelines or the requirement for due process. This vagueness opens the door for potential misuse, wherein organizations could be falsely accused and subsequently lose their nonprofit status, undermining civic freedoms.
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