Senate Republicans are probing a $143,000 fellowship awarded by George Soros-backed Open Society Foundation to professor Sahar Aziz, the director of Rutgers University's Center for Security, Race and Rights who they say has spread "vile antisemitic propaganda."
"The work of the center, its promotion of terrorist sympathizers, and its platforming of radical ideologues is troubling to us as members of the Senate Judiciary Committee," the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote last week.
"The committee has a long history of working on legislation meant to root out support for terrorism, and to compensate its victims. For example, in 2016 Congress passed the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act.
"As the committee explores the efficacy of this legislation, particularly in the context of recent world events, it is appropriate to evaluate the financial backing of groups that seek to legitimize violence and provide platforms for terrorist sympathizers," they concluded.
They said they were looking into whether U.S. taxpayer dollars fund the center.
Rutgers last year equated the condemnation of Hamas last year to attempts to "ignore over 75 years of colonial violence and the horrific consequences born out of these decades of oppression and attempted erasure."
"I am not at all surprised that the center's director received funding from George Soros's web of dark money," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told the Washington Examiner.
He said he and his colleagues aim to vet the center's funding sources and "promotion of antisemitic propaganda."
OSF told the Examiner its foundation "is a leader in the effort to advance racial justice in the United States, and in the fight against antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate.
"We are proud to support individuals working to expand justice and opportunity for historically marginalized communities through innovative projects and research."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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