Senate Republican Invokes McCarthy-Era Law to Target Pro-Palestinian Nonprofit Organization
Title: The People’s Forum Under Scrutiny: McCarthy-Era Law Resurfaces Amid Allegations of Foreign Ties
In a development that has drawn comparisons to Cold War-era political crackdowns, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has called for an investigation into a New York-based advocacy and cultural group, The People’s Forum, and the antiwar organization Code Pink. Grassley alleges that both groups may be operating under the influence—or at the direction—of the Chinese government, invoking the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), a controversial law from 1938 originally used to combat Nazi propaganda.
If Grassley’s appeal is acted upon by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), these organizations could be compelled to register as foreign agents under FARA. The move raises significant questions about freedom of speech, political expression, and the government’s power to label dissenting voices as foreign propaganda operatives.
What Is the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)?
Enacted in 1938, the Foreign Agents Registration Act was designed to expose and suppress Nazi propaganda efforts in the United States. It requires individuals and organizations acting on behalf of foreign powers to publicly disclose their affiliations, financial ties, and activities. Though initially targeted at fascist influencers, FARA was repurposed during the McCarthy era to suppress leftist voices, such as the Peace Information Center chaired by W.E.B. Du Bois.
Du Bois, who was arrested under FARA in 1951 for allegedly acting on behalf of the Soviet Union, later had the charges dropped due to lack of evidence. His case has widely been cited as an example of politically motivated repression under the guise of national security.
The Accusations Against The People’s Forum
Founded in 2017, The People’s Forum describes itself as a “movement incubator” that promotes grassroots organizing, political education, and cultural work around causes such as anti-imperialism and pro-Palestinian solidarity movements. It has hosted large-scale demonstrations, including a widely covered memorial in Washington, D.C., featuring 17,000 children’s shoes representing Palestinian children killed in Gaza.
Grassley’s April 2024 letter to the DOJ and FBI references reports from the New York Times and conservative media outlets alleging financial links between The People’s Forum and Neville Roy Singham, a former tech executive known for his leftist political views. Singham resides in China and has reportedly donated substantial funds to progressive organizations, including The People’s Forum and Code Pink. The New York Times report claims Singham has worked with Chinese state media and used shell companies to fund activism aligned with Chinese political narratives.
Both Singham and his wife, Code Pink co-founder Jodie Evans, have denied allegations that they act on behalf of any foreign government, asserting their work is rooted in anti-imperialist principles rather than propaganda directives.
Response from Targeted Organizations
In a statement to art-focused media outlet Hyperallergic, Manolo De Los Santos, executive director of The People’s Forum, denounced Grassley’s request as a politically motivated attack designed to suppress critical voices in the U.S. advocating for Palestinian rights and systemic change.
“We reject these false allegations and will not back down from our work,” said De Los Santos. “These are politically motivated attacks aimed at silencing our advocacy against genocide in Gaza and U.S. imperialism worldwide.”
The People’s Forum maintains that it has never received funding from the Chinese government and that its initial startup capital—approximately $3.9 million—came from private donations and grants.
Code Pink echoed a similar stance, asserting that it receives no funding from foreign governments and acts solely as a nonpartisan voice for peace.
Historical Parallels: From Du Bois to Present Day
This current controversy draws inevitable comparisons to the Cold War, when artists, intellectuals, and organizations expressing dissenting or anti-war views were often labeled as communist sympathizers or foreign agents. The indictment of W.E.B. Du Bois under FARA for circulating a peace manifesto in 1950 is often cited as a cautionary tale about the abuse of national security laws to stifle free speech.
Critics warn that reviving such a tactic threatens to undermine the democratic principle of free expression. De Los Santos cautioned that “the attempt to silence one group endangers the rights of all,” warning against a revival of McCarthy-era tactics in a new geopolitical context dominated by rising tensions with China.
The Political Strategy Behind FARA Enforcement
Senator Grassley’s letter justifies his call for investigation as a matter of public transparency. He claims that applying FARA is a content-neutral mechanism that merely requires groups operating on behalf of foreign entities to disclose their relationships. However, groups like The People’s Forum argue that FARA’s selective enforcement risks being used as a weapon to silence political opponents and activist movements that diverge from mainstream or governmental perspectives.
The underlying