Congressional subpoenas targeting three non-profit organizations that have received approximately $39 million from communist tech tycoon Neville Roy Singham have drawn sharp criticism from prominent far-left figures. Livestream influencer Hasan Piker and the advocacy group CodePink are among those decrying the House Ways and Means Committee's investigation as a "McCarthy-style" witch hunt.
The committee is examining whether nonprofit laws adequately protect against foreign influence in U.S. politics and has accused the subpoenaed groups—BreakThrough News, the People’s Forum Inc., and Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research—of failing to produce responsive documents. Singham, who has relocated to China, has directed substantial funds into a network of organizations described as pro-communist and pro-China.
Hasan Piker, a popular Twitch streamer, invoked the historical anti-communist investigations led by Sen. Joseph McCarthy, warning, "They will come for you." Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CodePink, a group that has also received Singham funding, denounced the subpoenas as a "terrible attack on independent journalism" and pledged solidarity with the subpoenaed outlet.
Benjamin's co-founder at CodePink, Jodie Evans, is married to Singham, who sold his technology company ThoughtWorks for an estimated $785 million in 2017. Since then, he has channeled significant funding into organizations supporting communist and Chinese interests.
BreakThrough News operates as a media arm within Singham's network, producing content and covering protests. The People's Forum serves as an activist hub organizing demonstrations, while Tricontinental, led by Singham associate Vijay Prashad, provides Marxist research and hosts events, including one in Shanghai where Singham expressed support for the Chinese Communist Party.
The investigation into Singham's financial network is occurring alongside a separate grand jury inquiry into alleged financial improprieties, including wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering, initiated by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. The State Department has also identified the People's Forum and CodePink as participants in Cuba's foreign influence campaign.
The coordinated defense of the subpoenaed organizations highlights the network's ability to mobilize around a common message. Critics argue that instead of addressing concerns about foreign-linked funding and transparency, the network's allies are characterizing the investigation as political persecution, employing rhetoric reminiscent of the "red scare" and "McCarthyism."
Following the subpoenas, a campaign of petitions and fundraising appeals was launched. The People's Forum initiated a fundraising drive for its legal response, while BreakThrough News sought emergency funds through GoFundMe, urging supporters to "Tell Congress: Drop the Witch Hunt Against BreakThrough News!"
The narrative quickly spread across various platforms. Socialist congressional candidate Kshama Sawant shared BreakThrough News's message, labeling the subpoenas an "increase in repression." Seyed Mohammad Marandi, a professor at the University of Tehran, echoed criticism, calling the U.S. an "intolerant and authoritarian regime," a sentiment contrasted by reports of Iran's own crackdown on dissent. Former UN human rights official Craig Mokhiber also condemned the subpoenas as an "outrageous attack."
At the core of the committee's inquiry is Singham's financial architecture, which allegedly uses shell companies and donor-advised funds to obscure the original source of foreign-linked contributions. Fox News Digital has previously documented $278 million flowing from Singham into six core non-profits within a broader transnational network. The committee's current focus is on $39 million directed to BreakThrough News, the People’s Forum, and Tricontinental.