Treasury Dept. tells Erika Kirk Turning Point USA not under investigation, following social media rumors
The Treasury Department sent a letter last week to conservative influencer Erika Kirk with findings that contradict fraud allegations about the finances at Turning Point USA and could help her refute those claims, sources told CBS News.
Questions were being raised on social media about the finances at Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA, and podcaster Candace Owens and others were urging donors to demand refunds. That led a few of its small-dollar donors to ask for their money back, one of the sources said. Erika Kirk runs the nationwide conservative college student organization co-founded by her late husband, Charlie Kirk.
Last week, Blake Neff, a producer on “The Charlie Kirk Show” podcast disputed “claims of financial impropriety and fraud at Turning Point adding up into the millions of dollars — which, again, is not true.”
“Charlie made sure the organization was audited by a third party every year,” Neff said. “He personally reviewed, and he signed off on every expense report and literally every single bill paid by the organization — down to a single United States dollar. We have never missed a 990 deadline.” Form 990 is the federal tax form completed by tax-exempt organizations like Turning Point USA.
The letter from the Treasury Department was written in response to a request for information from Erika Kirk last Wednesday.
The letter said none of the four tax-exempt entities Kirk now runs — Turning Point USA Inc., Turning Point Action Inc., Turning Point Endowment Inc., or America’s Turning Point Inc. — are being examined by or are under investigation by the IRS, and all of the entities “submitted on time” all their 990 forms to the IRS this year. Contents of the letter were shared with CBS News.
Asked about the swift response to aid the conservative organization’s efforts to combat the social media rumors, a senior Treasury official said: “The IRS is able to provide this type of information upon request by the taxpayer. And in this case, it’s hideous that malicious lies and smears obligated her to make the request.”
President Trump has long publicly embraced Turning Point USA. Erika Kirk has made repeated visits to the White House and Oval Office since her husband’s assassination.
Turning Point held its annual fundraising gala at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida over the weekend. A representative for Turning Point said the two-day event was “maxed out” both nights.
The organization raises millions each year — a breakdown by Pro Publica of tax forms the organization submitted in June 2024 shows revenues of $85 million.
Kirk is going to be interviewed this week in a one-hour town hall event moderated by Bari Weiss, CBS News’ editor-in-chief, that will be broadcast on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on the CBS television network and will stream later on Paramount+ and CBS News 24/7.
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