Federal Campaign Funds Organization Identified as Hate Group

One of the many non-profit charities supported by the Combined Federal Campaign – the annual fundraising drive of federal workers, which collects and disburses hundreds of millions of dollars annually – is considered by the Southern Poverty Law Center a hate group.

The SPLC, which tracks hate activity nationally, deemed the Washington, D.C.-based Federation for American Immigration Reform a hate group in December of 2007. According to CFC officials, FAIR has participated in the federal fundraiser for more than 15 years.

Mark Lambert, director of CFC Operations, said his office had not received a formal complaint about FAIR, but had been made aware of the issue late in 2008, when its National Capital Area chapter asked what to do if donors inquired about FAIR. Lambert said his office told the chapter to direct donors to CFC regulations. The CFC fundraiser is governed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

CFC regulations do include a non-discrimination policy, but Lambert said the CFC relies on the IRS to determine if an organization is eligible for non-profit status. He also said FAIR is a member of a federation of charities within the CFC, which is responsible for ensuring its charities meet CFC eligibility requirements. The CFC office can still review federation charities, but, Lambert said, FAIR had not been reviewed by his office since 2005.

Lambert said his office would not take any action unless it received a formal complaint with evidence that FAIR is a hate group. He said the CFC has not looked into the SPLC’s claims.

FAIR spokesperson Jack Martin rejected the SPLC’s claim.

“We haven’t been deemed a hate group by any government entity and we don’t think that the SPLC has any credibility or standing to make that kind of accusation, given that they don’t identify any objective criteria for making their claims,” said Martin. “We categorically deny that we have any association of any kind with any group that could plausibly be considered a hate group.”

In a recent report, the SPLC said that FAIR’s founder, Dr. John Tanton, who remains on the organization’s board, has “deep racist roots” and that FAIR has brought into staff and advisor positions others who have been ...