Tag

#FARA

2 incidents

Grade 2 of 5: Major Abuse of Power

Inaugural Committee: $107 Million Raised, Federal Investigations Into Corruption

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan subpoenaed the inaugural committee in February 2019. Prosecutors subpoenaed records investigating potential coordination with foreign nationals and possible misuse of nonprofit funds. Tom Barrack, who chaired the fundraising effort, was indicted in July 2021 on charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent of the UAE, obstruction of justice, and making false statements. The indictment alleged Barrack had used his position in the Trump campaign and inaugural committee to influence U.S. policy and public statements in favor of the UAE. Barrack was acquitted at trial in November 2022. Prosecutors were reported in December 2018 to be examining whether Middle Eastern foreigners used straw donors to funnel money to the committee; no such finding has been made public.

Grade 2 of 5: Major Abuse of Power

Michael Flynn: Turkey Lobbying Cover-Up, Foreign Agent, NSA Lies to FBI

Flynn was paid over $530,000 by a Turkish-controlled entity while serving as one of Trump's most prominent campaign surrogates in 2016 — work he initially did not disclose and later retroactively registered as foreign agent activity. He lied to FBI investigators about his December 2016 contacts with Russian Ambassador Kislyak, in which he discussed sanctions that the Obama administration had just imposed on Russia for election interference. Flynn pleaded guilty to making false statements in December 2017, cooperated with Mueller, then attempted to withdraw his plea, and was ultimately pardoned by Trump in November 2020.