Sen. Jim Banks called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate the longtime left-wing protest group Code Pink for “growing ties to the Chinese Communist Party” and potential violations of federal law.
The leftwing activists of Code Pink have attracted fresh scrutiny for their ties to China and the communist country’s suspected financial underwriting of their political demonstrations. The allegations stem, in part, from a Code Pink co-founder’s marriage to a millionaire socialist activist who has been linked to the CCP’s worldwide propaganda machine.
In a letter to Ms. Bondi, he raised concerns that Code Pink is “actively engaging in propaganda efforts to support the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) foreign policy aims, including by undermining U.S.-Israel relations and fueling antisemitism on college campuses.”
“I write to urge you to investigate Code Pink for potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), due to growing evidence of Code Pink’s deep connections with the CCP,” Mr. Banks, Indiana Republican, said in the letter.
FARA requires special registration with the Justice Department by anyone who works on behalf of a foreign country to influence U.S. policy or public opinion.
The law was previously used to charge President Trump’s allies, including his former campaign manager Paul Manafort, who was sentenced to 73 months in prison, including the statutory maximum of 60 months for conspiracy to violate FARA.
Code Pink co-founder Madea Benjamin told The Washington Times the allegations are “a big fat lie” and “reek of McCarthyism.”
“We get zero money from the Chinese Community Party,” Ms. Benjamin told The Times on Thursday. “To be honest, at first we laughed about it, but now we’re really worried about it and are wondering where this is leading.”
Code Pink is a fixture on Capitol Hill. Its members, decked out in pink, routinely badger lawmakers and disrupt congressional hearings to protest against war and other causes, including U.S. support for Israel.
“CODE PINK is a feminist grassroots organization working to end U.S. warfare and imperialism, support peace and human rights initiatives, and redirect resources into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming* programs,” according to the group’s website.
Code Pink was back at it again this week when it interrupted a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing with national security officials.
“The greatest threat to global security is Israel — and the whole world knows it!” a protester shouted before being escorted out of the room. “Stop funding Israel! Stop Funding Israel!”
Sen. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, responded in kind. “That protester was a Code Pink lunatic,” he said, and then shared that for the “benefit of the audience here and on television that Code Pink is funded by Communist China.”
“The fact that Communist China funds Code Pink, which interrupts a hearing like this about Israel simply illustrates … that China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and other American adversaries are working in concert to a greater degree than they ever have before,” Mr. Cotton, Arkansas Republican, said.
Ms. Benjamin said Code Pink is filing a complaint against Mr. Cotton with the Senate Ethics Committee and exploring other legal remedies. She said she is shocked that Mr. Banks and Mr. Cotton can “so blatantly lie.”
“Unfortunately, it seems like these senators have immunity to just straight out slander a grassroots organization whose politics they don’t agree with,” she said.
Code Pink denied it is funded by China and said it plans to file a complaint against Mr. Cotton with the Senate Ethics Committee, saying the Republican’s “accusations are an attempt to silence dissent and smear those who speak out against atrocities.”
“We receive no funding from China and have no ties to any foreign government,” said a message on the group’s website. “These false accusations are part of a broader campaign to divert attention from the real issue: the U.S. government’s complicity in war crimes and genocide.”
Mr. Cotton alluded to reports that Code Pink’s co-founder, Jodie Evans, is married to Neville Roy Singham. According to a New York Times investigative report, Mr. Singham “works closely with the Chinese government media machine and is financing its propaganda worldwide.”
The Times report, published in 2023, noted that Code Pink had, over time, stopped criticizing the Chinese government’s treatment of Muslim Uyghurs and started defending it.
In his letter to Ms. Bondi, Mr. Banks cited Code Pink’s evolving stance toward China.
“Code Pink’s position on China has switched from skeptical to unquestioningly supportive since Evans became more involved with Singham and his organization,” Mr. Banks said. “This suggests that Singham has played a substantial role in shaping Code Pink’s rhetoric and priorities.
“While once an American anti-war group, Code Pink has clearly become an agent of CCP influence in the United States,” he said.
Ms. Benjamin said Mr. Singham “happens to live in China” and “doesn’t work for the Chinese government.”
“He’s an independent businessperson who made his money legitimately and funds organizations that he aligns with. This is what people all over this country do,” he said. “He is an American citizen, and he is just one of the many, many, donors that Code Pink has.”
“This is just, you know, a way to try to slander the whole organization,” she said. “These are very scary and dangerous times.”
