Turkey Registered To Lobby U.S. Three Days Before Rumeysa Ozturk's Abduction
Three days before the shocking abduction of Rumeysa Ozturk, a turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, the Turkish government registered with the Department of Justice to Lobby the U.S. Government. According to the country’s registration under the Foreign Agent Registration Act:
“The registrant will provide lobbying and government relations services as a subcontractor on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Turkey” the filing reads.
“Activities include promoting legislation and U.S. government actions favorable to Turkey; expanding the congressional caucus on Turkey; educating Congress and the Executive Branch on issues of importance to Turkey; monitoring legislative and administrative developments; identifying relevant events and speaking opportunities for Turkish Embassy personnel; and building alliances with like-minded interest groups.”
The filing goes on to state that “The registrant proposes to provide lobbying and government relations services on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Turkey, including promoting favorable legislation, engaging with Congress and Executive Branch officials, monitoring policy developments, educating U.S. policymakers on issues important to Turkey…”
The Turkish official overseeing the lobbying operation appears to be a former Columbia University student Yigit Canay, currently a member of the Turkish foreign service. Earlier this month, a current Columbia University student, Mahmoud Khalil, was abducted by ICE and sent to a notorious immigration facility in Louisiana, where Ozturk is now also being held.
According to The Associated Press, Ozturk was detained Tuesday after she left her home in Somerville and was moved to an ICE detention center in Louisiana before her lawyer was able to secure a motion in a Massachusetts court to keep her in state. Lawyers said they were in contact with Ozturk on Wednesday night.
A senior Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said federal authorities detained Ozturk after an investigation found she had “engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans.” The department did not provide evidence of that support.
Whether Turkey will use its new lobbying firepower to advocate for Ozturk’s release remains to be seen, as Turkey is itself consumed in political turmoil following the abduction and detention of Istanbul mayor and Erdogan opposition leader Ekrem İmamoğlu. The lobbying firm contracted to work on Turkey’s behalf is Imperium Strategies LLC, of Vienna, Virginia.
The video of Ozturk’s arrest, which I was first to obtain yesterday, is below:
It's FAR more likely that Erdogan's goons HAD HER KIDNAPPED. Whether or not they did the same with Kamil is unclear, but I'd be willing to bet they were. Remember two key things:
1. Turkey's been in trouble for NOT registering before; and
2. It was lobbying for Turkey that cost Flynn his job, & eventually his freedom, in the FIRST go round with Dear Leader. It was the Terrorist Regime' FIRST controversial pardon -- you know, before they went hard core fascist.
Turkey isn't stupid. There's no way they hired some hot-shot lobbying firm (which is their history) at an address in Vienna, VA. -- it's a far suburb full of neuveau riche & retired middle-rank military & CIA has-beens. Where does Flynn (& his suspicious family) live these days?