Documents Reveal Michael Flynn Lobbied for Turkish Government

The US Department of Justice documents revealed that a pro-government Turkish businessman paid $530,000 to President Donald Trump’s first national security adviser Michael Flynn for lobbying efforts before Donald Trump's victory in November.


Flynn was fired last month for failing to disclose that he discussed US sanctions on Russia in a phone call with the Russian ambassador before Trump took office, Middle East Monitor reported.

The retired US general and his firm acknowledged lobbying efforts that "could be construed to have principally benefited the Republic of Turkey" from August to November of last year.

Lobbying firms that work for foreign governments are required by US law to register with the Department of Justice, but this regulation is rarely enforced, according to a report by AP.

Ekim Alptekin, the Turkish businessman who hired Flynn's firm, said he disagrees with the former general's disclosure because he is not a part of the Turkish government.

"It would be different if I was working for the government of Turkey, but I am not taking directions from anyone in the government," he told AP.

Flynn wrote an op-ed for the Hill in defence of Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government after last year's failed coup. In the opinion piece, he paints Fethullah Gulen, the US based opposition leader whom Erdogan blames for the coup attempt, as a 'radical' figure.

• “From Turkey’s point of view, Washington is harboring Turkey’s Osama bin Laden,” Flynn wrote.

HR McMaster was appointed as Flynn’s replacement as national security adviser last month.
  [farsnews.com]
10/3/17