Texas Gov Greg Abbott calls for CAIR to be stripped of non-profit status

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called on the state's attorney general to strip the Council on American-Islamic Relations of its non-profit status Thursday.

Abbott made the request in a letter to Attorney General Ken Paxton that was released by the governor's office. The letter also urges Paxton to prevent CAIR and its affiliates from operating in Texas.

"Under Texas law, the Texas Attorney General is the only elected official charged with regulating nonprofits that may be violating the law," Abbott wrote, calling on Paxton to take action.

Paxton's office says it is already investigating two school districts for ties to the Islamic Games of North America, a group that works regularly with CAIR.

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS DEMAND TREASURY PROBE CAIR OVER ALLEGED HAMAS TIES AND TERRORISM CONCERNS

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is calling for a crackdown on CAIR. (Antranik Tavitian/Reuters)

"The spread of radical Islam in Texas must be stopped, and if school districts are continuing to promote or partner with organizations tied to an FTO, that ends now," said Attorney General Paxton. "I will ensure that taxpayers’ dollars are not materially supporting activities by Islamist terrorists in violation of Texas law."

Abbott has previously called on school districts to sever ties with CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood. He argues the organizations cannot legally operate on public school property, according to Click2Houston.

"Voluminous documents detail the dangers posed to Texans by the Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR and their affiliates," Abbott said in a statement. "Regardless of the facade CAIR attempts to portray in press releases, CAIR cannot be allowed to use its ‘nonprofit’ status as a shield for sponsoring terror, advancing radical Islamism in Texas or fronting for the Muslim Brotherhood.

"The same goes for other entities pretending to engage in charity by day, while sponsoring terror by night."

FLORIDA’S CAIR THREATENS LAWSUIT AGAINST DESANTIS AFTER HE LABELS GROUP A ‘FOREIGN TERRORIST’ ORGANIZATION

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking action against CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

CAIR has denied accusations from Abbott's office, including that the organization is a front for Hamas. The group called Abbott "desperate" in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"Greg Abbott has spent several years trying and failing to silence Texans who dared to criticize the waste of American taxpayer dollars on the Israeli government's crimes," a CAIR spokesman said.

"While CAIR's legal team deals with Mr. Abbott's antics in a court of law, CAIR-Texas remains squarely focused on protecting free speech, religious freedom and civil rights for all Texans."

CAIR says it has sued Abbott "to block his unconstitutional proclamation targeting our Texas chapter."

Abbott's call comes weeks after the House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith referred CAIR's California chapter to the IRS for investigation. His referral cited alleged misuse of taxpayer funds, potential violations of federal law and support for unlawful activity.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith is urging the IRS to investigate whether a California-based chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations should lose its tax-exempt status. (Leonard Ortiz/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

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"Tax-exempt status is a privilege, not a right," Smith, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital earlier this month. "Organizations that receive special treatment under the tax code must follow the law and operate in the public interest, not bankroll illegal activity, mislead federal agencies or misuse hard-earned taxpayer dollars." 

Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this report.