Washington, D.C. - New Legislation IntroducedIn a decisive move to address the ongoing issue of violent demonstrations, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has announced the introduction of the Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act. This significa...
Washington, D.C. - New Legislation Introduced
In a decisive move to address the ongoing issue of violent demonstrations, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has announced the introduction of the Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act. This significant piece of legislation aims to classify rioting, as defined by the federal anti-riot statute, as a predicate offense under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. If passed, this bill will empower the Department of Justice to employ a range of RICO tools against organizations and individuals who finance or coordinate violent interstate riots.
Senator Cruz's Perspective
Senator Cruz emphasized the importance of balancing free speech with public safety, stating, “Every American has the right to freedom of speech and peaceful protest, but not to commit violence. Domestic NGOs and foreign adversaries fund and use riots in the United States to undermine the security and prosperity of Americans. My legislation will give the Department of Justice the tools it needs to hold them accountable, and I urge colleagues to pass it expeditiously.”
Broad Support from Colleagues
The Stop FUNDERs Act has garnered support from several prominent Republican senators, including:
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas): “Radical, left-wing groups who fund acts of violence and coordinate attacks against law enforcement must be stopped. This legislation would add rioting to the list of racketeering offenses to crack down on this lawless behavior while ensuring the First Amendment rights of free speech and peaceful protest are protected.”
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.): “77 million Americans voted for President Trump and his America First policy agenda. This cannot stand. My colleagues and I are introducing a bill to ensure the Department of Justice has the necessary tools to target anti-American extremist groups and their funders.”
Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.): “Those who fund and coordinate violent riots across our country must be held accountable. The Stop FUNDERs Act will give the Department of Justice the necessary tools to act.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.): “Organized riots pose a serious threat to public safety and undermine the rule of law. This legislation is crucial for holding accountable those who fund and orchestrate violence.”
Companion Legislation in the House
In addition to support in the Senate, the bill has a companion piece introduced by Representative Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas-24) in the House. Van Duyne remarked, “It is time to empower law enforcement with a commonsense tool to tackle violent mobs and their funding sources as the criminal enterprises they are.” She emphasized the need to address the organized nature of these violent protests, drawing attention to the challenges faced by law enforcement in recent years.
Grassroots Support and Next Steps
The Stop FUNDERs Act is backed by organizations such as Heritage Action and the National Right to Work Committee, highlighting its wide-ranging support among conservative advocacy groups. The bill aims to:
Amend 18 U.S.C. § 1961(1) to include “rioting” as a racketeering predicate offense.
Enable the Department of Justice to use RICO tools—including joint liability, group prosecution, conspiracy charges, asset forfeiture, and enhanced criminal penalties—against those who repeatedly fund or coordinate violent riots.
Deter the abuse of nonprofit status and expose the financial networks fueling politically motivated violence.
The full text of the bill can be accessed here.
Conclusion
As discussions around the Stop FUNDERs Act continue, it remains clear that the legislation aims to provide law enforcement with the necessary tools to combat the funding of violent riots, while also safeguarding the fundamental rights of free speech and peaceful assembly.
