Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who is running for the Democratic nomination for governor in New Jersey, is calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to launch a federal investigation into the Palestinian American Community Center (PACC), citing concerns the group may be promoting antisemitism and material support for terrorism.
The request, sent Sunday to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, comes after the center hosted Wisam Rafeedie, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) — a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization — as a featured speaker at a conference in Clifton, New Jersey.
“Rafeedie has a long history of supporting terrorism and engaging in antisemitic rhetoric,” wrote Gottheimer, who is Jewish and serves on the House Intelligence Committee. “This is not protected speech—it’s a platform for extremism.”
Rafeedie previously spoke at the same conference in May 2024, where he defended Hamas following its October 7, 2023 terror attacks in Israel, denied their atrocities, and claimed “Zionists lie like they breathe.” He also called for the destruction of Israel through the establishment of a Palestinian state “on all Palestinian land.”
The Palestinian American Community Center, which organized the event, is also backed by American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) — an organization currently under investigation by the Virginia Attorney General and the U.S. Senate HELP Committee for allegedly funneling support to Hamas and other terror groups.
Gottheimer is urging federal authorities to determine whether the center has violated the Anti-Terrorism Act, which prohibits providing material support or resources to terrorist organizations, directly or indirectly.
“This isn’t just a matter of hateful rhetoric,” Gottheimer said. “It’s about whether U.S. soil is being used to promote or support groups that seek to murder civilians and destroy our allies.”
Also listed as a speaker at the conference was Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), the only Palestinian-American member of Congress and a frequent critic of U.S. policy toward Israel.
The Justice Department has not yet commented on whether an investigation will be launched.