Center for Immigration Studies, (CIS) the Washington DC based “think tank” created by John Tanton, has been embroiled in many controversies over the past couple of months. In July, CIS released a press statement and video proving their collaboration with Glenn Spencer, the controversial boarder vigilante. However, their most recent blunder is even more controversial. The August 31st edition of American Free Press (AFP) features Steven Camarota, CIS’s Director of Research. It appears that CIS gave the American Free Press permission to publish the article in their publication.
American Free Press, formerly known as The Spotlight was set up by white nationalist Willis Carto. The Spotlight was part of a multi-company network that allowed Carto to funnel money illegally, according to court records. According to the Anti Defamation League, (ADL) Carto was fired from one of his organizations, the Institute for Historical Review, (IHR) for “finance-related matters, including the purchase of a new Cadillac by Carto’s wife using IHR funds.” Other charges related to his firing included Carto’s purchase of an insufficient insurance policy prior to a 1984 arson that destroyed IHR’s warehouse and offices, and his skimping on pay and health benefits.” It was also alleged by the Institute for Historical Review’s director at the time, that Carto planned to make the Institute’s publication, the Journal of Historical Review a “more straightforward racist publication”.
After being sued for millions by his former colleagues Carto filed for bankruptcy in 2001. That same year he founded American Free Press as a direct replacement for The Spotlight, which went under as a direct result of the bankruptcy. Much like its predecessor, American Free Press is an openly white nationalist publication which constantly publishes anti-Semitic articles and employs anti-Semitic journalists, such as Michael Collins Piper who’s book was sold at a conference on the Holocaust in Iran in 2006.
American Free Press also publishes articles sympathizing with Holocaust Deniers such as Gemar Rudolf, a German Holocaust denier who was deported from Chicago to Germany in 2005. According to financial records obtained by the Center for New Community, one of AFP parent companies granted $1000 to Rudolf in 2004.
All of this spells big trouble for the Center for Immigration Studies. If allowing their Director of Research to be published in an openly anti-Semitic newspaper is not enough, CIS also appears to have allowed American Free Press to reprint Steven Camora’s article in the September 7th edition of the newspaper. The reprint includes a note from American Free Press urging its readers to “please cut out, photocopy and distribute widely”, along with a subscription form. So in essence, American Free Press is using an article written by a Center for Immigration Studies employee as a fundraising and promotional tool.
CIS was formed by John Tanton to “legitimize” his anti-immigrant network however, this is not the first time that the John Tanton Network has been caught in bed with anti-Semites and Holocaust deniers. In a 1995 memo obtained by The Center for New Community, John Tanton wrote the following about European hate crimes laws:
“These have generally been pushed by Jewish interests who are offended by those who have challenged the received version of the Holocaust.”
Not only do employees of the Tanton Network, but Tanton himself has a connection with anti-Semites and holocaust deniers. Tanton and his cronies sell themselves to the public as “immigration restrictionists” but if they continue to fraternize with anti-Semites they will quickly lose legitimacy and support.