US ethics committee investigating lawmaker's trip organized by Gülenists
A Gülen Movement-sponsored trip to Turkey and Azerbaijan taken by U.S. Representative for New Jersey Leonard Lance is now under investigation by the House Committee on Ethics.
The committee is investigating whether there was a violation of the committee's rules with the trip that was funded by an Azerbaijani state oil company. Lance on Thursday said he was informed that the trip would be funded by the Council of Turkic American Associations, which is an organization known for its close links with the Gülen Movement, which is believed to have infiltrated key state institutions in an attempt to overthrow the legitimate Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government.
The allegations surfaced after an independent Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) investigation found that the trip was funded by the Azerbaijani company, which is against the rule of the U.S. House of Representatives, and not by the council as it was supposed to be. The OCE report said that Lance declined to cooperate with the investigation, but Lance's office ruled out the report claiming that the office was preparing to provide information until the House launched its own probe.
According to the OCE report obtained by the Washington Post, Lance took flights valued around $1,885.
The OCE report also said that lawmakers received gifts of a rug and earrings worth $100 from the program's sponsor. The U.S. representative's office said that Lance received the gifts not to offend his hosts, but returned the rug that was delivered to his hotel room and reimbursed the earrings.
Speaking to a media outlet in New Jersey, Lance said: "I certainly would not have gone if it had not been vetted or approved by the House Committee on Ethics."
He also said that he would be furious if the House and himself were misled by the organization. Lance added that he has been working in coordination with the Ethics Committee, which has the authority to sanction officials while the Office of Congressional Ethics is only able to recommend a detailed investigation into the allegations.
According to Lance's remarks, the 10-day trip that 10 lawmakers participated in was only to learn more about the region due to the high number of Turkish-Americans in New Jersey. He further asserted that there were many other trips that were organized like that before, but no problems arose.
It is not the first time that a Gülen Movement-liked organization has come under the microscope with such trips. In February, the movement reportedly arranged all-expense-paid trips to Turkey and made campaign donations to 43 of 88 U.S. representatives, who in turn signed a letter sent to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, asserting that media outlets linked to the movement were under pressure in Turkey. The congressional sponsors of the letter, which was forwarded on Feb. 2, asked Kerry to take action against Turkey, claiming that Gülen Movement-affiliated media outlets were being cracked down on. However, an investigation has revealed that the sponsors and almost half of the signatories had benefited from all-expense-paid trips organized by several U.S.-based organizations of the movement or received campaign donations from Gülen Movement affiliates.
The committee is investigating whether there was a violation of the committee's rules with the trip that was funded by an Azerbaijani state oil company. Lance on Thursday said he was informed that the trip would be funded by the Council of Turkic American Associations, which is an organization known for its close links with the Gülen Movement, which is believed to have infiltrated key state institutions in an attempt to overthrow the legitimate Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government.
The allegations surfaced after an independent Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) investigation found that the trip was funded by the Azerbaijani company, which is against the rule of the U.S. House of Representatives, and not by the council as it was supposed to be. The OCE report said that Lance declined to cooperate with the investigation, but Lance's office ruled out the report claiming that the office was preparing to provide information until the House launched its own probe.
According to the OCE report obtained by the Washington Post, Lance took flights valued around $1,885.
The OCE report also said that lawmakers received gifts of a rug and earrings worth $100 from the program's sponsor. The U.S. representative's office said that Lance received the gifts not to offend his hosts, but returned the rug that was delivered to his hotel room and reimbursed the earrings.
Speaking to a media outlet in New Jersey, Lance said: "I certainly would not have gone if it had not been vetted or approved by the House Committee on Ethics."
He also said that he would be furious if the House and himself were misled by the organization. Lance added that he has been working in coordination with the Ethics Committee, which has the authority to sanction officials while the Office of Congressional Ethics is only able to recommend a detailed investigation into the allegations.
According to Lance's remarks, the 10-day trip that 10 lawmakers participated in was only to learn more about the region due to the high number of Turkish-Americans in New Jersey. He further asserted that there were many other trips that were organized like that before, but no problems arose.
It is not the first time that a Gülen Movement-liked organization has come under the microscope with such trips. In February, the movement reportedly arranged all-expense-paid trips to Turkey and made campaign donations to 43 of 88 U.S. representatives, who in turn signed a letter sent to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, asserting that media outlets linked to the movement were under pressure in Turkey. The congressional sponsors of the letter, which was forwarded on Feb. 2, asked Kerry to take action against Turkey, claiming that Gülen Movement-affiliated media outlets were being cracked down on. However, an investigation has revealed that the sponsors and almost half of the signatories had benefited from all-expense-paid trips organized by several U.S.-based organizations of the movement or received campaign donations from Gülen Movement affiliates.
Last Update: May 15, 2015 20:27