Civil rights lawyer, advocate, teacher. Civil Society. U.S. South Asia. Protests. The courts and the legal profession. @USCNL_org @ICNLAlliance

Washington, DC
Joined November 2012
Interesting new data from @USCNL_org on the spike in Congressional investigations targeting nonprofits. There have been over 150 investigatory actions this Congress affecting hundreds of organizations. No previous Congress – at least recently - comes close.
🔎At least 85 congressional investigations have targeted U.S. nonprofits since January 2025. USCNL's updated analysis examines the trends, potential safeguards, and steps nonprofits can take to prepare. Learn more⏬icnl.org/post/news/congressi…
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But there are impacts. They distract groups from their missions. Narratives get created. And if each Congress takes the approach of just targeting those they disagree with it will make everyone worse off.
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We need a more sober approach. Congress should have investigatory powers, but without more restraint it’s too easy to use this tool to harass or intimidate. At the very least Congressional committees should require majority votes before issuing subpoenas.
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There has been widespread condemnation of DOJ’s indictment of Southern Poverty Law Center yesterday. What’s been largely missed is that the fraud claim central to those charges can be politicized to target a sweeping range of nonprofits. In fact, it’s already begun. (1/12)
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The AGs claimed “false statements” were being used by Media Matters in the report to help their fundraising. A federal judge though found the report was protected speech under the First Amendment and stopped the state investigations. (11/12) deadline.com/wp-content/uplo…
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Judges and the public should be skeptical of the growing number of fraud claims being made against nonprofits in political contexts. Given the sweep of these statutes, it’s all too easy for the government to exercise censorship by other means through fraud allegations. (12/12)
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