Taxpayer funds heavily supported ‘Obnoxious’ charity occupying McCarthy’s office.
A Left-Wing Nonprofit Group’s Activists Arrested for Occupying House Speaker’s Office
A left-wing nonprofit group, known for its unorthodox protest methods, recently made headlines when its activists were arrested for occupying House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s office. The group, called Housing Works, was demanding the reauthorization of an HIV/AIDS program.
Housing Works, along with another HIV/AIDS advocacy organization called Health GAP, stormed McCarthy’s office on Capitol Hill, urging Congress to extend the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for five more years. PEPFAR is a program that provides federal funds for research, prevention, and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
What’s surprising is that Housing Works, despite its controversial tactics, has been receiving millions of dollars each year in government grants. According to tax forms reviewed by the Washington Examiner, the charity has received over $100 million in grants between fiscal 2011 and 2022.
“It is unlawful for taxpayer funds to subsidize political activism,” says Pete McGinnis, spokesman for the Functional Government Initiative ethics group. “The American taxpayers deserve to know if our tax dollars are being used to support partisan protests that require law enforcement intervention.”
Concerns have been raised by watchdog groups about taxpayer-backed payouts to Housing Works. In fiscal 2022 alone, the charity disclosed receiving $32.2 million, with $29.6 million of that coming from government grants.
Housing Works declined to comment further on the incident but referred to a joint press release with Health GAP. In the press release, Housing Works CEO Charles King, who was among those arrested, criticized Republicans who oppose PEPFAR, calling it “criminal.”
Affiliation with the U.S. Government
Housing Works, founded in 1990, has a mission to improve the health and quality of life of individuals engaged in behaviors that put them at risk for HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. However, its radical advocacy and repeated protests in favor of abortion access and healthcare for illegal immigrants have raised concerns about its affiliation with the U.S. government.
Adam Andrzejewski, CEO of the federal spending watchdog Open the Books, believes that Housing Works should not engage in radical advocacy that leads to congressional arrests, considering its heavy reliance on government funding. He describes it as “counterproductive” and a waste of taxpayer resources.
Despite the controversy surrounding Housing Works, it continues to receive substantial funding from various government departments. In fiscal 2022, the charity received $11 million from the Department of Health and Human Services, $605,000 from the Department of Homeland Security, and $7.3 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
As the debate over PEPFAR continues, Housing Works and Health GAP are pushing for its reauthorization, emphasizing the importance of the program in combating HIV/AIDS globally.
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