The Republic of Turkey has hired international law firm, Amsterdam and Associates.
According to attorney Robert Amsterdam, the firm was hired to, “Conduct a global
investigation into the activities of the organization led by the Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen.”
During a press conference held on October 26, 2015, Amsterdam further explained his
contract with the Republic of Turkey, stating in part:
“We have been retained by the Republic to expose allegedly unlawful conduct by the Gülen network worldwide,” said Robert Amsterdam, founding partner of Amsterdam & Partners LLP, during a press conference held today at the National Press Club in Washington DC. “The activities of the Gülen network, including its penetration of the Turkish judiciary and police,
as well as its political lobbying abroad, should concern everyone who cares about the future
of democracy in Turkey.”
The Gülen network, which operates more than 100 charter schools in the U.S., has become
the subject of federal and local law enforcement and regulatory investigation in the United
States, said Amsterdam. According to separate cases filed against Gülen affiliated schools,
the group has allegedly engaged in systemic abuse of the American visa system, Amsterdam says.”
Granted, the current political arena in Turkey is ripe for propaganda related opportunists, but
in this specific case this investigation is long overdue and should have been initiated in 1999 when Fetullah Gulen fled Turkey to reside in the United States (he was granted United States’ permanent residency and still currently resides in Pennsylvania).
Turkey has issued an arrest warrant for Fethullah Gulen, alleging that Gulen has been
engaged in treasonous acts and has been working to overthrow the Turkish government
through a “parallel state,” covert operation. The Turkish government has labeled Gulen a
terrorist, and yet the United States’ government continues to allow Gulen to live “quietly,”
hidden away in his gated compound in the Pocono Mountains.
Gulen’s organization operates approximately 150 publicly funded charter school scattered throughout the United States – schools entrusted with educating and maintaining the safety
and welfare of our children, and yet – the orchestrating kingpin behind these schools – an accused terrorist -- is essentially a “legal untouchable” living on American soil.
Why?
Clearly, there’s some political maneuvering going on between the Turkish and United States’ governments – some sort of ‘tit for tat,’ agreement with regard to Gulen’s “safe harbor” status,
but at whose expense? Our kids? Our national security?
If anyone even hints at a “terrorist” activity, the feds are Jonny on the Spot (as they should
be). But what has our government done about Gulen and his army of followers that are essentially given carte blanche to pillage our public education funds, discriminate
against American employees, extort cash paybacks from their H1-B visa employees, commit unfettered immigration fraud, and usurp qualified American educators in order to import their
own lesser qualified H1-B visa worker “teachers”/followers?
And it’s not like this is new information.
Instead of actually investigating, arresting, and deporting this shady group, the United States’ administration has chosen instead, to embrace their shenanigans. In 2013, Department of Education, Secretary Arne Duncan awarded Harmony Schools in Texas (a Gulenist
operation), $30 million as part of the Department’s “Race to the Top” Contest. Further, and
most recently in 2015, Duncan sent a $71 million dollar “charter school package” to Ohio, a
state that hosts about 25 of Gulen’s schools.
And yet, we have public schools whose funding has been cut so drastically by the leeching of public schools funds bled into charter schools, that schools are forced to cut funding for arts, physical education, busing, and sports.
Across the board, and time and time again -- state and federal politicians have greedily
accepted campaign donations, expense-paid “fact finding and educational” trips to Turkey,
and superfluous awards. Apparently, and in exchange for their benefactors’ generosity, the Gulenists are allowed to exploit the American public education system while simultaneously solidifying their political hold on United States' lawmakers. As a nation – are we really so
easily bought off?
Again – it begs the question, why did the Republic of Turkey have to hire an international
legal investigative team to probe the Gulenists’ activities in the United States when American
citizens have been asking our government to investigate this organization and its nefarious activities since 1999?
Below are links to Mr. Amsterdam’s press conference media release and video:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/republic-of-turkey-retains-amsterdam--partners-llp-on-expanding-gulen-investigation-into-africa-and-us-charter-schools-300166043.html
http://robertamsterdam.com/video-press-conference-on-turkeys-expansion-of-gulen-investigation/
According to attorney Robert Amsterdam, the firm was hired to, “Conduct a global
investigation into the activities of the organization led by the Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen.”
During a press conference held on October 26, 2015, Amsterdam further explained his
contract with the Republic of Turkey, stating in part:
“We have been retained by the Republic to expose allegedly unlawful conduct by the Gülen network worldwide,” said Robert Amsterdam, founding partner of Amsterdam & Partners LLP, during a press conference held today at the National Press Club in Washington DC. “The activities of the Gülen network, including its penetration of the Turkish judiciary and police,
as well as its political lobbying abroad, should concern everyone who cares about the future
of democracy in Turkey.”
The Gülen network, which operates more than 100 charter schools in the U.S., has become
the subject of federal and local law enforcement and regulatory investigation in the United
States, said Amsterdam. According to separate cases filed against Gülen affiliated schools,
the group has allegedly engaged in systemic abuse of the American visa system, Amsterdam says.”
Granted, the current political arena in Turkey is ripe for propaganda related opportunists, but
in this specific case this investigation is long overdue and should have been initiated in 1999 when Fetullah Gulen fled Turkey to reside in the United States (he was granted United States’ permanent residency and still currently resides in Pennsylvania).
Turkey has issued an arrest warrant for Fethullah Gulen, alleging that Gulen has been
engaged in treasonous acts and has been working to overthrow the Turkish government
through a “parallel state,” covert operation. The Turkish government has labeled Gulen a
terrorist, and yet the United States’ government continues to allow Gulen to live “quietly,”
hidden away in his gated compound in the Pocono Mountains.
Gulen’s organization operates approximately 150 publicly funded charter school scattered throughout the United States – schools entrusted with educating and maintaining the safety
and welfare of our children, and yet – the orchestrating kingpin behind these schools – an accused terrorist -- is essentially a “legal untouchable” living on American soil.
Why?
Clearly, there’s some political maneuvering going on between the Turkish and United States’ governments – some sort of ‘tit for tat,’ agreement with regard to Gulen’s “safe harbor” status,
but at whose expense? Our kids? Our national security?
If anyone even hints at a “terrorist” activity, the feds are Jonny on the Spot (as they should
be). But what has our government done about Gulen and his army of followers that are essentially given carte blanche to pillage our public education funds, discriminate
against American employees, extort cash paybacks from their H1-B visa employees, commit unfettered immigration fraud, and usurp qualified American educators in order to import their
own lesser qualified H1-B visa worker “teachers”/followers?
And it’s not like this is new information.
Instead of actually investigating, arresting, and deporting this shady group, the United States’ administration has chosen instead, to embrace their shenanigans. In 2013, Department of Education, Secretary Arne Duncan awarded Harmony Schools in Texas (a Gulenist
operation), $30 million as part of the Department’s “Race to the Top” Contest. Further, and
most recently in 2015, Duncan sent a $71 million dollar “charter school package” to Ohio, a
state that hosts about 25 of Gulen’s schools.
And yet, we have public schools whose funding has been cut so drastically by the leeching of public schools funds bled into charter schools, that schools are forced to cut funding for arts, physical education, busing, and sports.
Across the board, and time and time again -- state and federal politicians have greedily
accepted campaign donations, expense-paid “fact finding and educational” trips to Turkey,
and superfluous awards. Apparently, and in exchange for their benefactors’ generosity, the Gulenists are allowed to exploit the American public education system while simultaneously solidifying their political hold on United States' lawmakers. As a nation – are we really so
easily bought off?
Again – it begs the question, why did the Republic of Turkey have to hire an international
legal investigative team to probe the Gulenists’ activities in the United States when American
citizens have been asking our government to investigate this organization and its nefarious activities since 1999?
Below are links to Mr. Amsterdam’s press conference media release and video:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/republic-of-turkey-retains-amsterdam--partners-llp-on-expanding-gulen-investigation-into-africa-and-us-charter-schools-300166043.html
http://robertamsterdam.com/video-press-conference-on-turkeys-expansion-of-gulen-investigation/
