New Poll Shows Americans Suspicious of AIPAC Status
By Press Release
Sep 15, 2004, 04:00
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PRESS RELEASE
September 14, 2004
Contact: Terry Walz
A new Council for the National Interest/Zogby poll commissioned after the publication of reports that AIPAC was being investigated for espionage shows that Americans of all backgrounds and ages strongly believe it acts as a foreign agent for the Israeli government and should be registered as a foreign agent and lose its tax exempt status.
The poll found 61% "strongly or somewhat agree" that AIPAC should be asked to register as a foreign agent and lose its tax exempt status, while only 12% strongly or somewhat disagree that it should. 27% were unsure on the issue.
A majority of people within almost every subgroup agrees. This includes 77% of 18-29-year-olds, 72% of Hispanics, and approximately two-thirds of independent voters, 50-64-year-olds, residents of the West region, Catholics, single adults, parents of children under 17, and men.
15% of Jewish Americans "strongly agreed" and 15% "strongly disagreed" with the statement that AIPAC should register as an agent of a foreign government and thereby lose its tax exempt status. However, 60% were unsure. Three times as many "Born Again Christians" agreed with the results than disagreed, with almost one-third unsure. These are the traditional pro-Israel bases of the Republican Party.
On August 30, it was reported that the FBI interviewed members of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in connection with the passing of classified material to the government of Israel by a Pentagon analyst working in the office of the Undersecretary of Defense Douglas Feith. Congressman John Conyers (D-Michigan) subsequently called for opening hearings into the leak to investigate whether the Larry Franklin, the Pentagon analyst, was "acting at the behest of his superiors" and whether a "rogue element in the American government may have been working with a foreign government."
Said Eugene Bird, president of CNI, "The poll shows serious doubts that Americans have about the activities of AIPAC. They strongly endorse the position that we have long held, that AIPAC should register as an agent of a foreign government and lose its tax exempt status. For years, Congress has been duped by their illegal activities."
The complete statistics are available upon request. Call 202 863-2951 or email count@igc.org.
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