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Today, Congresswoman Escobar sent a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles P. Rettig referring America Legal First for an investigation into potential violations of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC).

“During the week of October 22, 2022, residents of El Paso, TX, the community I represent, reached out to my congressional District Office to report receiving unsettling Spanish-language political mailers,” Congresswoman Escobar wrote. “Upon reviewing these mailers, my staff learned that they had been paid for by America First Legal, a national 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization.” 

She continued, “the mailer features an array of right-wing lies and political talking points, including fearmongering rhetoric about transgender women using public restrooms and the partisan lie that Critical Race Theory (CRT) and ‘gender ideology’ are taught in elementary schools. The mailer explicitly accuses President Biden and his ‘progressive allies’ of championing these policies.”  

“This effort by America First Legal appears to be in direct violation the IRC, which governs the operations of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations,” Congresswoman Escobar added. 

“I urge the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to investigate America First Legal for potential violations of the IRC. And if the IRS discovers violations of the law, that they impose commensurate disciplinary action or refer their case to the appropriate disciplinary body,” she concluded. 

The full text of the letter can be found here.