WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the latest revelations regarding Lieutenant General Michael Flynn’s opposition in concert with Turkey against a U.S. military operation that had been planned for months, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) renewed its call for a thorough investigation of Turkey’s surreptitious influence over U.S. officials to the detriment of U.S. national security.
Today, the Assembly sent letters to the Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC), Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), House Intelligence Chairman David Nunes (R-CA), and Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA) highlighting key concerns on this matter.
“Time and time again, we have seen Turkey’s corrosive attempts to influence U.S. policy. Given the aforementioned issues, we respectfully renew our request for a thorough investigation of Turkish activities that compromise America’s national security and democratic institutions,” Assembly Co-Chairs Anthony Barsamian and Van Krikorian said.
Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. stated: “It is even more troublesome that [Flynn] failed to disclose his actions and that he may have compromised our efforts to defeat ISIS in order to please his former client. With Mr. Flynn’s willingness to conceal relationships with foreign powers, we must investigate if there are other interactions that have yet to be revealed.”
According to a report in McClatchy Washington Bureau, “Flynn’s rejection of a military operation that had been months in the making raises questions about what other key decisions he might have influenced…”
This new revelation follows Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn’s November 8th op-ed in The Hill wherein Flynn argued that “we need to see the world from Turkey’s perspective.” Flynn was paid over $500,000 for his work on behalf of Turkey according to his recent FARA filing, which he failed to disclose until he was caught.
News about Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn comes just after a brutal attack by Turkish bodyguards against those peacefully protesting in front of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence.