When the National Council of the American Studies Association endorsed the academic boycott of Israel in early December, and put the boycott Resolution to a quick membership vote, I wondered how the ASA National Council could do such a thing not just on the merits, but because the boycott put ASA's tax-exempt status at risk.
I
stated my intention of filing a challenge to that tax-exempt status should the Resolution pass and the academic boycott go into effect.
The ASA membership approved the boycott Resolution with less than a quarter of the total membership voting for it (there was such low turnout, that was enough).
The reaction to ASA's boycott has been overwhelmingly negative. At least 125
universities and leading academic organizations have spoken out against the boycott and issued
strong statements as to the damage to higher education such boycotts inflict.
Earlier today my attorneys filed with the IRS a whistleblower complaint challenging ASA's 501(c)(3) tax exempt status in light of the academic boycott.
The Complaint without Exhibits is
embedded below. The Complaint with Exhibits is
available here.
Here is the Introduction, which summarizes the reasons why ASA no longer is organized and operating exclusively in accordance with its educational exempt purpose, and no longer is entitled to its 501(c)(3) status under the IRS Code and Regulations.