Antisemitism Watchdog Seeks IRS Probe of New York Nonprofit Supporting Anti-Israel Groups

The Zachor Legal Institute, a civil rights group focused on combating antisemitism, has formally requested the IRS to investigate the tax-exempt status of the Westchester People’s Action Coalition (WESPAC) Foundation. The institute alleges that WESPAC violated IRS rules by providing fiscal sponsorship to Within Our Lifetime (WOL), a group accused of advocating political violence and anti-Israel activism. Zachor's president, Marc Greendorfer, argues that WESPAC's activities may breach the IRS public policy and illegality doctrines, which prohibit tax-exempt status for organizations engaging in illegal or fundamentally objectionable actions. WESPAC, a progressive nonprofit based in New York, is accused of enabling radical activism linked to violent protests, notably in response to Hamas’ attacks in 2023. The complaint calls for a thorough IRS investigation to determine whether WESPAC’s sponsorship of WOL warrants revocation of its tax-exempt status under federal law. This case highlights ongoing tensions around pro-Palestinian activism and the legal scrutiny of nonprofit organizations' roles in political movements.