Tulsi Gabbard Ties to the Science of Identity Foundation: A Political Influence or a Cult Connection?

Tulsi Gabbard’s political career is closely connected to the Science of Identity Foundation SIF, a group that some former members have described as a cult. Gabbard has been a prominent member of the group for years, and her political rise has been influenced by her ties to it.

Gabbard, who switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party this year, was recently nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA and NSA.

Some former campaign staffers and members of the group claim that Gabbard’s political ambitions were shaped by her relationship with the Foundation.

One former campaign volunteer alleged that many people working on Gabbard’s campaign were family members, all members of the group, and that money was being funneled to her from the Foundation.

The Science of Identity Foundation was founded by Chris Butler in the 1970s after he split from the Hare Krishna movement. The group has had political ambitions for decades, running candidates for local offices. Gabbard’s family has been at the center of Butler’s movement.

Gabbard’s father, Mike, and her mother, Carol, began their political careers in the early 2000s, and Butler is said to have given them political advice.

Gabbard, who was the youngest person elected to the Hawaii State House, later served in the U.S. House of Representatives for four terms. During her 2020 presidential run, many of her campaign staff were linked to the Science of Identity Foundation. According to one source, her sister Davan managed the campaign, while other Foundation members helped with financing and other campaign roles.

There were also allegations that members of the Foundation were not paid for their work on Gabbard’s campaigns, which a former volunteer described as slave labor. It was suggested that if anyone received a salary, it was assumed the money would go back to the Foundation.

The Foundation’s influence extends beyond politics, with connections to a business group called QI Group, which has been accused of running illegal pyramid schemes. The group owns businesses like Down to Earth, a vegetarian grocery chain in Hawaii, where many of Butler’s followers work.

As Gabbard is now closer to the White House than ever before, some critics suggest that her ties to the Foundation are part of a larger effort by Butler to gain political power. One volunteer claimed that Gabbard had been groomed” for a career in politics to help Butler’s ambitions of ruling the world.