Category 03 of 05

Political & Financial Influence

Influence over U.S. policy through campaign spending, lobbying, and donor money — and the disclosure rules that go unenforced.

The Foreign Agents Registration Act Double Standard 1938–2026 In 1962, the Kennedy DOJ formally ordered AIPAC's predecessor to register as a foreign agent. The organization reorganized to evade the requirement, and no administration has enforced it since — even as comparable groups like NORAID were compelled to register. →
Total U.S. Aid to Israel 1946–2024 Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since WWII — more than $300 billion inflation-adjusted — delivered on uniquely favorable terms documented entirely in the U.S. government's own records. →
AIPAC and Congressional Influence 1963–2026 After 60 years as an issues-based lobby, AIPAC began direct campaign spending in 2022. Its effort to defeat Rep. Thomas Massie in 2026 produced the most expensive House primary in U.S. history. →
The Loan Guarantee Confrontation 1991–1992 The Bush administration tried to condition $10 billion in loan guarantees on a settlement freeze — the most serious modern U.S. attempt to use financial leverage on Israel. A GAO report documented why the conditions proved unenforceable. →
Sheldon and Miriam Adelson 2010–2025 The largest U.S. political donors of their era organized their giving around a single stated priority: Israel. Their influence produced documented U.S. policy changes that President Trump credited to them directly on the floor of the Knesset. →
Tax-Exempt U.S. Funding of West Bank Settlements 2010–2026 American 501(c)(3) charities have channeled hundreds of millions of tax-deductible dollars to West Bank settlements — including funds for guard dogs, rifle scopes, and bulletproof vests — even as every U.S. administration for decades has formally opposed settlement expansion. The contradiction is documented by the New York Times and Haaretz. →