AIPAC
Pro-Israel lobby group in the United States / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC /ˈeɪpæk/ AY-pak) is a pro-Israel lobbying group that advocates its policies to the legislative and executive branches of the United States.[4] One of several pro-Israel lobbying organizations in the country,[5] it has been called one of the most powerful lobbying groups.[6]
Founded | January 3, 1963; 61 years ago (1963-01-03)[1] |
---|---|
53-0217164[2] | |
Legal status | 501(c)(4) organization |
Headquarters | Washington, D.C., U.S.[2] |
Coordinates | 38.9004676°N 77.0146576°W / 38.9004676; -77.0146576 |
Betsy Berns Korn | |
Mort Fridman | |
Howard Kohr[2] | |
Subsidiaries | 251 Massachusetts Avenue LLC, American Israel Educational Foundation, AIPAC-AIEF Israel RA[2] |
Revenue (2014) | $77,709,827[2] |
Expenses (2014) | $69,267,598[2] |
Endowment | $258,533[2] |
Employees (2013) | 396[2] |
Volunteers (2013) | 60[2] |
Website | aipac |
Founded | 1990 |
---|---|
52-1623781 | |
Legal status | 501(c)(3) organization |
Revenue (2014) | $55,234,555 |
Expenses (2014) | $50,266,476 |
Endowment | $24,527,692 |
Employees (2013) | 0 |
Volunteers (2013) | 39 |
Founded | 2021 |
---|---|
Registration no. | C00797670 |
Legal status | Political Action Committee |
Location |
|
Treasurer | Justin Phillips |
Federal Election Commission[3] |
AIPAC was founded in 1954 by Isaiah L. Kenen, a lobbyist for the Israeli government,[7][8] partly to counter negative international reactions to Israel's Qibya massacre of Palestinian villagers that year.[9] AIPAC only became a powerful organization during its peak influence in the 1980s.[10] In 2002, AIPAC expressed intent to lobby Congress to authorize use of force in Iraq,[11] and in 2003, the Iraq War was defended at AIPAC events.[12][13][14] In 2005, a Pentagon analyst pleaded guilty to espionage charges of passing U.S. government secrets to senior AIPAC officials, in what became known as the AIPAC espionage scandal.[15]
Until 2021, AIPAC did not raise funds for political candidates itself; its members raised money for candidates through political action committees unaffiliated with AIPAC and by other means.[16] In late 2021, AIPAC formed its own political action committee. It also announced plans for a Super-PAC, which can spend money on behalf of candidates.[3][17][18] Its critics have stated it acts as an agent of the Israeli government with a "stranglehold" on the United States Congress with its power and influence.[19] AIPAC has been accused of being strongly allied with the Likud party of Israel, and the Republican Party in the U.S. An AIPAC spokesman has called this a "malicious mischaracterization".[16][20]
AIPAC describes itself as a bipartisan organization,[21] and the bills for which it lobbies in Congress are always jointly sponsored by both a Democrat and Republican.[22] AIPAC states that it has over 3 million members,[23] 17 regional offices, and "a vast pool of donors".[16] AIPAC's supporters claim its bipartisan nature can be seen at its yearly policy conference, which in 2016 included both major parties' nominees: Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.[24][25] AIPAC has been criticized as being unrepresentative of American Jews who support Israel, and supportive only of right-wing Israeli policy and viewpoints.[26]