Congress Touring Israel for Free.

Despite the fact that accepting free trips from lobbyists is illegal for Congress members under US anti-graft and corruption laws, the American Israel Educational Foundation - affiliate of the largest Zionist lobby in the US: the American Israel Public Affairs Committee with its a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) organization with two donors - is sponsoring an all-expenses-paid, week-long junkets to Israel. The top congressional leaders of both parties are leading the trips.

Unlike the far more numerous nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, which have to continually “means test” that they have a wide public funding base in order for contributor donations to be tax-deductible, contributions to 501(c)(4) organizations such as AIPAC (which actively lobbies Congress, the executive, and numerous government agencies) are not tax-deductible. There are no contribution limits to 501 (c)(4) nonprofit groups. Individuals, foreign nationals, partnerships, associations, and other organizations may contribute whatever amount they like to a 501(c)(4).

81 congressional representatives - 55 Republicans and 26 Democrats - from all over the country, led by Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, are traveling to Israel this month. Most are freshmen congressmen, and the group includes half of all the freshmen Republicans voted into office in 2010.

Don't you think the $3 billion in direct aid and $3 billion in indirect aid provided to Israel each year by the US Congress would be better spent reviving the declining US economy?



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