CLEVELAND, Ohio — MomsRising Education Fund, a grassroots advocacy organization and charity, issued a statement condemning reports of an FBI raid on the Ohio Organizing Collaborative’s Cleveland office last week, warning that the action could signal a broader effort targeting voting rights and civil rights organizations ahead of upcoming elections.
According to the release, FBI agents searched the Cleveland office of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative and the private homes of multiple employees. The statement was issued in response to those reports, which have raised concerns among advocacy groups about federal involvement in voting rights-related activities.
In the announcement, Executive Director and CEO Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner expressed alarm that the reported searches may indicate a broader effort targeting voting rights and civil rights organizations.
“Those of us who believe in free and fair elections have long feared that the Trump administration, facing record levels of public disapproval due to its skewed, shameful priorities, would try to interfere with our elections,” Rowe-Finkbeiner stated, expressing concern about what the raid might mean for voting Americans.
Rowe-Finkbeiner argued that organizations mobilizing and educating voters must be free from intimidation and interference by any political body, noting that such pressure is antithetical to the ideals of American government.
“Last week’s raid of an organization in Cleveland with a long history of helping Ohioans exercise their legally protected right to vote is deeply and profoundly disturbing,” she contended, denouncing the action as a direct breach of the contract between the federal government and the voting public.
The response also raised concerns that organizations serving communities of color could face increased scrutiny from the Trump administration, noting that the raid on the Ohio Organizing Collaborative will disproportionately affect marginalized voters.
“We fear it is part of a widening pattern of targeting voting and civil rights groups that work with people of color,” Rowe-Finkbeiner said in reference to the raid.
MomsRising made clear in the release that it will continue encouraging voter participation ahead of the upcoming primary and general elections, regardless of what actions the federal government takes.
“Let’s be very clear: America’s moms will not accept federal law enforcement that undermines our rights and engages in any kind of thuggery or intimidation,” Rowe-Finkbeiner emphasized.
The advocacy group, founded in 2006, is dedicated to fighting economic, racial and gender-based inequalities in America.
“MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, stop discrimination against women and moms, and build a nation where businesses and families can thrive,” the group wrote.
The nonprofit is working to “change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families,” including criminal justice, immigration and gun control, according to the statement.
“MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start,” the organization stated.
Despite the concerns raised in the statement, Rowe-Finkbeiner emphasized that MomsRising will continue its dedicated voter outreach programs to protect access to the ballot.
“Just as moms stood up to ICE in Minneapolis and elsewhere, we will stand up to this kind of bullying — and we will work tirelessly to ensure everyone who is eligible to vote is able to vote in primaries and in the general election in November,” Rowe-Finkbeiner stated.
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