US Armenian group faces investigation
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Ümit Enmginsoy
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 23, 2009 00:00
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Justice has announced it will launch a probe into a complaint filed by a high-profile ethics organization that the Armenian National Committee of Armenia, or ANCA, the largest U.S. Armenian group, is involved in campaign finance and lobbying violations.
The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, or CREW, said last month that ANCA had failed to register either as a domestic lobbying group or as a foreign agent, despite its political work and its close ties to an Armenian political party. It called for a formal investigation against ANCA.
Heather Hunt, chief of the registration unit at the counterespionage section of the National Security Division at the justice department, said in a March 16 letter to Melanie Sloan, who heads CREW, that the department would look into the complaint.
US to take appropriate action
"We will take the information you provided under advisement to determine if it raises a Foreign Agents Registration Act concern, and we assure you that if the statute is applicable, we will take the appropriate action," Hunt said.
The CREW complaint said ANCA is an arm of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, a political party that is part of Armenia's ruling coalition.
ANCA also has not registered as a lobbyist with either the house or the senate, CREW said. Failure to register can be a felony offense.
The complaint asked the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to review potential tax violations and the justice department to open a criminal probe. The complaint also asked the house and the senate to open inquiries into the lobbying situation.
Lobbying
"Circumstantial evidence indicates that ANCA and its current or former executive directors have lobbied congress and the executive branch heavily with regard to perennial congressional Armenian genocide resolutions," CREW said.
ANCA officials deny any wrongdoing. Analysts view ANCA as the most radical U.S. Armenian group in criticizing Turkey. It strongly urges the U.S. administration and congress to formally recognize the Armenians' claims of genocide.
In last year's election campaign, ANCA supported then-Democratic contender Barack Obama, who was elected president in November.
ANCA also endorsed dozens of candidates who backed the Armenian cause, in the congressional elections.CREW says it is a nonprofit organization with no partisan affiliation.
Heather Hunt, chief of the registration unit at the counterespionage section of the National Security Division at the justice department, said in a March 16 letter to Melanie Sloan, who heads CREW, that the department would look into the complaint.
US to take appropriate action
"We will take the information you provided under advisement to determine if it raises a Foreign Agents Registration Act concern, and we assure you that if the statute is applicable, we will take the appropriate action," Hunt said.
The CREW complaint said ANCA is an arm of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, a political party that is part of Armenia's ruling coalition.
ANCA also has not registered as a lobbyist with either the house or the senate, CREW said. Failure to register can be a felony offense.
The complaint asked the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to review potential tax violations and the justice department to open a criminal probe. The complaint also asked the house and the senate to open inquiries into the lobbying situation.
Lobbying
"Circumstantial evidence indicates that ANCA and its current or former executive directors have lobbied congress and the executive branch heavily with regard to perennial congressional Armenian genocide resolutions," CREW said.
ANCA officials deny any wrongdoing. Analysts view ANCA as the most radical U.S. Armenian group in criticizing Turkey. It strongly urges the U.S. administration and congress to formally recognize the Armenians' claims of genocide.
In last year's election campaign, ANCA supported then-Democratic contender Barack Obama, who was elected president in November.
ANCA also endorsed dozens of candidates who backed the Armenian cause, in the congressional elections.CREW says it is a nonprofit organization with no partisan affiliation.