ANCA REVEALED FORMER U. S. PRESIDENT’S ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL WORKING FOR ANKARA
DeFacto Agency
2008-10-22 16:27:00
Armenia
YEREVAN, 22.10.08. DE FACTO. On October 22 the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA) revealed that the Turkish Government has
hired former Bush Administration official, Noam Neusner, to harness
Jewish American support for a pro-Turkey agenda in Congress, with
defeat of the Armenian Genocide Resolution as his top priority.
"If Turkey had a credible case to make to the Jewish American community
– which has grown weary of Ankara’s pressure to deny the Armenian
Genocide – it wouldn’t need to be spending this kind of money in a
misguided attempt to manipulate Jewish American opinion," said ANCA
Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Sadly, it seems that for $8,500
a month from a foreign government, Neusner Communications is putting
at risk the well-deserved reputation of the Jewish American community
as a powerful opponent of all genocides and a defender of universal
human rights."
This revelation came as part of a September 30, 2008, mandatory
U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) Foreign Agent Registration
Act filings by Neusner Communications, LLC, a Washington, DC public
relations firm that had been on the Turkish Government payroll since
September, 2007. The initial registration document submitted by the
firm cites "policy goals" including "U.S. Jewish efforts to promote
a pro-Turkey agenda in the U.S. Congress." Neusner Communications LLC
is tasked to ensure "regular emails and phone calls to Jewish leaders
highlighting Turkey’s relationship with Israel" and facilitating the
"creation of working relationships between U.S.-based Jewish and
Turkish community groups."
Neusner’s filings reveal that the first order of business for the
public relations firm was, in September and October of last year,
to contact top Jewish-American organizations regarding pending
Armenian Genocide legislation, H.Res.106. Beginning with a phone
conversation with AIPAC Director of National Affairs and Development
Jon Missner on September 17th, Neusner personally contacted groups,
including JINSA, the American Jewish Congress, Anti-Defamation League,
B’nai B’rith, Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations,
and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs some 23 times over the next
four weeks regarding H.Res.106.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee adopted the Armenian Genocide
Resolution on October 11th by a vote of 27 to 21.
The U.S. DOJ filings note subsequent emails by Neusner with the ADL’s
Director of Government and National Affairs Jess Hordes regarding "ADL
action on HR 106," and ADL Director "Abe Foxman’s visit to Turkey"
in May, 2008. Neusner continued to hold meetings with AIPAC’s Jon
Missner and National Political Director Rob Bassin regarding the
Armenian Genocide Resolution, including one on November 29th. Seven
months later, Neusner held a follow up meeting with Missner and AIPAC
Director of Research and Information Rafi Danziger to discuss "Turkish
concerns about Armenian issue; lack of support on the Hill from Jewish
orgs." The meeting came just one day after the House Foreign Affairs
Committee held a two- hour hearing on the South Caucasus region,
with specific focus on Turkey’s ongoing blockade of Armenia. In total,
in the span of one year, Neusner Communications contacted or met with
Jewish American groups at least 100 times – 32 times specifically to
discuss Armenian Genocide legislation or Armenian American concerns.
Neusner is well-known to Jewish American leaders, having served
as President Bush’s liaison to the U.S. Jewish community from 2002
through 2005, in addition to his capacity as Special Assistant to the
President for Economic Speechwriting. Neusner’s DOJ filings indicate
that he was hired by the "Embassy of the Republic of Turkey through
DiNovo Strategies and Fleishman Hilliard." DiNovo Strategies partner
Jay Footlik served as Clinton Administration liaison to Jewish
Americans and to European and Mediterranean groups, including the
Armenian American community.
According to the Foreign Agent Registration Act, a firm must register
within ten days of agreeing to become an agent and before performing
any activities for the foreign entity. It is unclear why Neusner
Communications’ filings were submitted over one-year after it began
lobbying for Turkey, a lapse that may represent a violation of U.S. DOJ
registration guidelines. FARA also mandates that all communications
from public relations firms must conspicuously cite any connection
to a foreign government. Copies of email communications submitted
by Neusner Communications to the U.S. DOJ make no reference to his
firm’s representation of the Turkish Government.
Neusner Communications, Inc. is one of four public relations firms
currently representing the Government of Turkey, including DLA Piper,
Fleishman Hilliard, and the Gephardt Group, who together receive
over $3 million a year for their services. Neusner Communications
is currently paid $8,500 a month by the Embassy of the Republic of
Turkey. Leading the campaign to clean up Turkey’s image in the United
States are former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt and House
Majority Leader Dick Armey. Former House Appropriations Committee
Chairman Bob Livingston ended his eight-year, $13 million lobbying
stint with Turkey earlier this year, after which he picked up a
lucrative $2.4 million contract with Libya.