Pam Bondi urges law enforcement agencies to probe antifa groups for potential tax violations

US Attorney General Pam Bondi has issued instructions to law enforcement agencies to investigate Antifa and other alleged domestic extremist groups, emphasizing the examination of possible tax-related offenses, according to a memo obtained by the Guardian. This move indicates a heightened effort by the Trump administration and Bondi to target left-wing activist networks.

Antifa, short for antifascist, is a loosely connected network of activists rather than a formal organization. In September, President Trump signed an executive order labeling it a domestic terrorist entity, a designation that legal experts argue may exceed presidential authority.

Bondis memo describes the activities of such groups as using or threatening violence to push political and social agendas, including opposition to law enforcement, extreme pro-immigration views, radical gender ideologies, anti-American and anti-capitalist sentiments, and support for undermining the US government. She also highlighted their willingness to use violence to influence policy decisions.

The directive was sent to all federal law enforcement bodies and prosecutors to implement Trumps executive order. Agencies were instructed to review their records related to Antifa and coordinate the transfer of relevant intelligence to the FBI within two weeks. The FBI is also tasked with creating a comprehensive list of domestic terror organizations and sharing intelligence on Antifa activities.

The memo, previously reported by Reuters and Bloomberg, also signals ongoing efforts by the administration to explore revoking the tax-exempt status of left-leaning organizations, potentially affecting their charitable operations. Following the killing of Charlie Kirk, the Justice Department looked into investigating the Open Society Foundations, a prominent liberal funder.

Bondi emphasized that federal authorities and prosecutors should consider any tax violations when extremist groups are suspected of defrauding the IRS, and pursue investigations and prosecutions where appropriate.

Additionally, the memo advises prioritizing federal grants for state programs addressing domestic terrorism. In October, federal terrorism charges were filed against several individuals arrested during a protest at a Texas ICE facility, marking the first instance of terrorism charges linked to Antifa. Family members of those charged have stated they did not intend violence and did not identify as Antifa members.

In a related move, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently designated four European anti-fascist groups as foreign terrorist organizations, supporting efforts to strengthen measures against similar groups domestically.

Author: Harper Simmons