The scoop: The Biden administration began investigating a taxpayer-funded Islamic charity over its proven ties to terrorism, yet continued to provide funding, the Washington Examiner reported.
Meet the players: The Michigan-based entity Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD) received large federal grants for supposed humanitarian relief operations around the world.
- In reality: Republicans have raised concerns for years about HHRD hosting a conference with the financial arm of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani terror group. Additionally, HHRD employees expressed sympathy for the genocidal jihadist group Jamaat-e-Islam, and the organization has partnered with a charity that funds both Jamaat-e-Islam and Hamas.
- Radicalism: A man who worked for HHRD once said that if Muslims “cannot participate in jihad,” they “must support jihad with money,” according to 2017 court testimony from a federal agent.
Why it matters: In October, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) renewed funds for HHRD, despite the agency’s own inspector general’s office recommending further vetting. The story adds to a growing discussion in Congress about the risk of taxpayer-funded humanitarian resources ending up in the hands of terrorists around the world.
Pushback: The Biden administration has been faced with a lawsuit for sending funds to the Palestinian Authority, despite knowing their use in supporting terrorism. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are pushing legislation to stop federal agencies from flouting sanctions on Palestinian aid. Additionally, the U.S. has paused funding for a U.N. agency accused of helping Hamas carry out its Oct. 7 attack on Israel.