HELP Panel to Probe American Muslims for Palestine

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, on Thursday announced an investigation into American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) because "the group's leaders have ties to Hamas."

"Today as chair of the health committee, I launched an investigation into the American Muslims for Palestine demanding answers about their activities on college campuses," Cassidy said during a hearing on "Antisemitic Disruptions on Campus."

"This group's leaders have ties to Hamas and helped create the group Students for Justice in Palestine," he continued. "I also requested information from the Justice Department and several universities on these groups."

Cassidy also sent a letter to the chairman of AMP, Hatem Bazian, accusing the group's leaders of having ties to Hamas based on research compiled by Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president of Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

AMP's lead counsel, Christina Jump, told the New York Post in a statement that the letter repeated "unproven allegations from civil lawsuits," and noted at least "one court ruled that the testimony and presumptions of Jonathan Schanzer … does not constitute evidence, and gave it no weight."

"AMP received this letter yesterday and will of course respond timely and in accordance with all applicable laws," she continued.

"As AMP told the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability last year, and as AMP has responded numerous times in litigation, AMP functions entirely in the United States, raises funds only for itself and within the United States, and does not receive money from nor send money to any other countries," Jump said.

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