Frank Gaffney on Gulen Charter schools

Gulen Tools in Georgia, Senator John Albers and Majority leader Chip Rogers

Georgia Senator John Albers asks for resolution of Fulton Science Academy scandal



http://johnscreek.patch.com/articles/state-senators-want-adults-to-resolve-fulton-science-academy-charter-dispute#photo-4998821

UPDATED 12/20, 8 a.m.: As the Fulton County Schools System briefs media about charter schools, state Sen. John Albers and Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers asked for a resolution to be found in the Fulton Science Academy Middle School charter application conflict.

“The academic achievement at Fulton Science Academy is a real success story. As a nationally recognized Blue-Ribbon school, and with the highest test scores among Fulton middle schools for an amazing four consecutive years, the students, parents and teachers should be commended and supported," the state senators said in their joint statement this afternoon.

"The issuance of a new charter for this high performing school should not be the subject of educational factions but rather a common goal for everyone who claims an interest in Fulton County students," they said.

The two men want an end to the disagreements, with a resolution found in time for the school board's meeting Tuesday night. The school board lists issues as the length of the charter requested–10 years initially compared to the school system's three years–and problems with what it terms a blanket waiver of Title 20 requirements. Those include teacher and professional staff certification rules.

The school's governing board agreed to be specific in its Title 20 waiver requests, ending that as an issue with the school system.

Some local residents complain about ties Fulton Science Academy appears to have with Grace Institute for Educational Research and Resources. A look at board members shows some governing board members for Fulton Science Academy have been Grace Institute board members. (Editor's Note: Accessing this link requires a free registration on Guidestar.org.)

However, Principal Kenan Sener said that while he and Ali Ozer had been non-compensated Grace Insitute board members in the past, they resigned last summer to end any confusion. He said that has not been an issue with Fulton County in the charter renewal application.

"We urge the interested parties to commit to finding a resolution in the next 24 hours. The future of our children is at stake. When the community considers the success of this school, we should all demand the disagreement between adults come to an end and a solution for the students be implemented,” they said.

Alpharetta-Milton Patch will continue to post updates on the Fulton Science Academy charter application status.

           MEANWHILE....the gulen political machine has managed to turn a few Americans in Alpharra Community against the Fulton Country Board of Education by pestering local politicians.
Excerpt of article:
Lawmakers Criticize Fulton Board for School Charter Denial  
Charter schools opened by Turkish Americans have come under increased scrutiny nationally due to allegations that they are being financed in part by followers of Fethullah Gulen, a charismatic Turkish preacher of a moderate brand of Islam.
The letter was signed by Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers of Woodstock, Sen. John Albers of Roswell, Sen. Judson Hill of Marietta, Sen. David Shafer of Duluth, Rep. Chuck Martin of Alpharetta, Speaker Pro-tem Jan Jones of Milton, Majority Whip Edward Lindsey of Atlanta, Rep. Joe Wilkinson of Sandy Springs, Lynne Riley of Johns Creek and Wendell Willard of Sandy Springs.

See entire article

http://www.globalatlanta.com/article/25276/

Gulen Schools Worldwide: Gulen Schools in Africa have empowered Turkish bus...

Gulen Schools Worldwide: Gulen Schools in Africa have empowered Turkish bus...: African children show support of Islamic flag of Turkey.  http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/128429/turkey-makes-inroads-into-africa-.ht...

Gulen Charter Schools in the USA: Gulen Charter School-Are the Gulen Movement inspir...

Gulen Charter Schools in the USA: Gulen Charter School-Are the Gulen Movement inspir...: Senator James Halligan with Dove Science Academy staff and students. The ever present photo opportunity and gifts to local politicans, ac...

Gulen Movement's Rumi Forum embedded with the Whitehouse Interfaith

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/11/15/celebrating-interfaith-collaboration-rumi-forum   
Rumi Forum President Emre Celik and award recipients (l-r) Nontombi Naomi Tutu, receiving on behalf of Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Diane Rehm; Dr. Alan G. Merten; Karen Chane, receiving on behalf of Rev. John Bryson Chane; and Joshua DuBois.

Launched in 1999, the Rumi Forum has consistently worked to foster interreligious and intercultural understanding at a pivotal time in our human history.  Recently, we were honored to attend the 2011 Rumi Peace and Dialogue Awards, the Turkish American organization’s annual celebration of leadership towards global harmony.
The Director of our Office, Joshua DuBois, received the “Extraordinary Commitment to Public Service Award” for his work as Special Assistant to the President and Executive Director of the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.  Also recognized by the Rumi Forum were Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Dr. Alan G. Merten, Diane Rehm, and Rev. John Bryson Chane.  Each was commended for his or her work to promote peace and dialogue through service in government, church, higher education, or media.
Joshua DuBois reflected on President Obama’s formative experience working across religious lines on the South Side of Chicago. Today, this commitment to interfaith collaboration is reflected in the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge, in which more than 250 colleges, universities, and theological schools are participating in the first year. The Religion and Foreign Policy Working Group, recently launched by the State Departmentand our Partnerships Office, engages the expertise of diverse religious and civil society leaders to explore the role of religious understanding and engagement in US foreign policy.
Joshua and his office “look forward to working with the Rumi Forum to advance intercultural understanding in our government, in our country, and around the world, motivated by the President’s belief as stated in his inaugural address that, ‘our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this earth.’”
Upon accepting the award on her father’s behalf, Nontombi Naomi Tutu shared a quote from Rumi, the 13th-century Sufi mystic whom Archbishop Tutu often cites, saying, ‘Move outside the tangle of fear-thinking.’ The Rumi Forum awardees are among those leading our world in doing just that.
Turkey suffered several powerful earthquakes recently. Our thoughts and hearts are with the people of Turkey in this difficult time.
Jonathan Amgott is an Intern at the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Gulen Charter Schools in the USA: Gulen Charter Schools, Greek Americans speak out o...

Gulen Charter Schools in the USA: Gulen Charter Schools, Greek Americans speak out o...: Greek Americans take a stand against the Gulen Movement The Greek Orthodox Church of America and its ignorance towards the Radical pro-Tu...

Gulen Charter Schools in the USA: Gulen Charter Schools, Who are we?

Gulen Charter Schools in the USA: Gulen Charter Schools, Who are we?: The flag and lady liberty of the United States of America  http://www.charterschoolwatchdog.com/ Let's be clear here --- Our mission...

School Board Denies Gulen Charter School

Former Corrupt mayor of Memphis (Herenton) gets rejected for 9 charter schools
applies and works for Gulen's Cosmos Foundation.

How much was Herenton paid to be a puppet?

Gulen Schools Worldwide: Senator Susan Collins takes a trip on the wild sid...

Gulen Schools Worldwide: Senator Susan Collins takes a trip on the wild sid...:  http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111101/NEWS/111109987/-1/NEWSMAP By Jamie Webben news@seacoastonline.com Nov...

Herenton former mayor of Memphis is being paid to push Gulen Charter Schools in Tennessee

Willie Herenton was DENIED over 7 charter schools for the Cosmos Foundation dba Harmony Science Academys in Tennessee.   Why is TEXAS money crossing over state lines into AR, TENN, and OK?  How much did Herenton get paid to be a puppet stooge for the Gulen Movement?  Below learn about his former legal and corrupt issues.



http://www.memphisflyer.com/CityBeatBlog/archives/2011/10/27/herenton-will-try-try-again

Willie Herenton's bid for nine charter schools was turned down by the joint school board this week but the former mayor and school superintendent says he will resubmit his application in November.

"I think the review process is a healthy one," he said. "It forced our team to be more specific in terms of our mission and instructional programs and curriculum design, which are all essential ingredients in quality schools. Overall, I feel that it is a fair process."

Herenton is in the odd position of being an applicant getting "needs improvement" marks after 30 years in executive positions that generally put him on the other end of the process. All of the board members are familiar with his career, and many of them have had personal experience dealing with him. Add to that, there may be some reluctance on the part of the school board to expand charter schools along with other "escape hatches" while the merger is in the works.

In conjunction with Harmony Public Schools in Texas and the Cosmos Foundation, Herenton has applied to run seven charter schools in the city of Memphis in 2012-2013 and two more in the county in 2013-2014.

"At this point the county is crowded and does not have excess space," he said. "In 2013 when the systems are merged there should be ample space."

That remains to be seen. It is unclear how the merger will play out and how much shuffling of student populations there will be. Ultimately, that will depend partly on policy and partly — probably moreso — on how parents vote with their feet. There is already surplus space in city schools, and three elementary schools are being targeted for closure due to low enrollment and the condition of the buildings. While not wishing to appear critical of the pace of closure, Herenton noted that he closed 15 schools early in his career as superintendent.

In an interview, Herenton seemed upbeat and eager to continue the process.

"I may not be the best application writer but I know how to run good schools and get good results," he said.

He agreed that his intial application should have been more specific.

"Their application process is highly technical," he said. "They place a lot of value on format whereas I place value on substance of how you are going to improve academic achievement in the midst of poverty. We commenced putting our team together on the same night as the school board meeting. When we picked up the evaluation, we went to work that night with assistance from my strategic partner, Harmony Schools."

The merger is going forward on two tracks. While the merged school board addresses charter school applications and other nuts-and-bolts matters, the separate transition team is doing research on other cities and taking a big-picture approach. The transition team meets Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

MORE ON HERENTON:

Sounds like he fits right in with the Gulen Movement and their organized crime.

On March 20, 2008, Herenton announced that he would be stepping down from his position as Memphis' mayor, effective July 31, 2008. This move angered many politicians in the city including Councilwoman Carol Chumney, a candidate he beat for mayor of Memphis in October 2007. He made this announcement just a little over 90 days after his re-election. Herenton stated his early departure from the mayor's office was to seek the position of superintendent of Memphis City Schools, dispelling speculation that he was stepping down because of a run for Congress or impending legal troubles from an ongoing criminal investigation at City Hall. He later stated that he would not leave the office of mayor unless he got the position as the superintendent of schools. Herenton went on to state that he ran for re-election only in order to protect the city of Memphis from the other main candidates, Herman Morris and Councilwoman Carol Chumney. When the day came, Herenton failed to step down as Mayor and said he would serve out his term until 2011. In April 2009, however, Herenton formed an exploratory committee to run in the 2010 US Congressional Election for the 9th District of Tennessee, presumably in the Democratic primary against incumbent Steve Cohen. On June 25, 2009, Herenton announced his resignation as Mayor, effective July 10. On July 6, he announced that he would delay his retirement until July 30.

He resigned from office on July 30, 2009. Memphis City Council Chairman Myron Lowery was appointed as mayor pro tempore, with a special election to be held on October 15. The law states that such an election must be held within 90 days of the resignation. On August 13, 2009, Herenton pulled a petition to run for the Mayoral office from which he had resigned only two weeks prior, raising questions of a possible lawsuit against the former Mayor for the more than $1 million in City funds needed for the October 15 special election.^[

Gulen Movement NOW admits they are a political movement!

Various Turkish Political cartoons, so many as Turkish Politics is the joke of the world.

No wait...................
Now the Gulen Movement is claiming they ARE a political movement.
To be accurate, they are a political and social movement that hides behind religion according to Gulen our 5th grade scholar.

SO WHICH IS IT?  THE GULEN MOVEMENT FLIP FLOPS AGAIN.
OUT OF GULEN'S OWN MOUTHPIECE PROPAGANDA RAG "TODAY'S ZAMAN"

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-259689-importance-and-power--of-the-gulen-movement.html

The Gülen community is currently the most influential Turkish lobby in the US. They work in the right way and obey the rules of the game in the US perfectly.

They are engaged in commercial activities, which have enabled them to develop their relations with state officials, mayors and governors. Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen had to leave Turkey due to the atmosphere of the Feb. 28, 1997 postmodern coup. He settled down in the eastern part of the United States, in Pennsylvania. He became a more influential global actor after he settled in the United States. Turkey needs the help of the Gülen movement, not only for Turkish lobbying in the United States but also to resolve major national issues such as the Kurdish question and the Armenian question.

Gulen's Pacifica Institute gives free trip to Turkey for Idaho politicians, one with a "Drunken" past.

Idahoans vote the "drunk" out

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/09/24/1811178/why-are-idaho-politicos-doing.html#disqus_thread

Kevin Richert: Why are Idaho politicos doing the Turkey trot?

 - Idaho Statesman

The good news: Several Idaho legislators were unhurt this week in a deadly bombing in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

And no, the lawmakers were not traveling overseas on the state taxpayers’ nickel.

But that still leaves some nagging questions. What exactly are Idaho lawmakers doing touring Turkey in the first place? And what does a nonprofit group hope to accomplish by squiring Idaho legislators around for 10 days?

There are — in life and in politics — no freebies.

This tour was bankrolled by the Pacifica Institute, a group of Turkish-Americans seeking “to develop social capital — the creation and extension of positive connections within and between disparate social networks.”

To that end, whatever it means, the group is picking up lodging, meals and in-country travel for at least six lawmakers and some spouses. The lawmakers paid for their own airfare.

The details are sketchy, since this is not an official state trip, but here’s who we know was on the tour: Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg; Sen. Joe Stegner, R-Lewiston; Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell; Sen. Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum; Sen. Diane Bilyeu, D-Pocatello; and Rep. Donna Pence, D-Gooding. (Of course, McGee hasn’t found the time to talk about his June travels through a Boise subdivision in search of “the promised land,” and the drunken-driving guilty plea that ensued. So this gives him one more odyssey to explain.)

Getting beyond the development of “social capital,” is there tangible capital to develop here? Probably. Turkey is the world’s 15th-largest economy, according to a 2011 Senate resolution promoting Idaho-Turkish relationships, though Turkey didn’t even make Idaho’s Top 25 export markets list in 2010. But this isn’t a trade mission designed to boost Idaho’s $5.15 billion export industry.

This is a ... what, exactly? In an email Friday to our Dan Popkey, Hill described the trip as a chance to visit Turkish schools, universities and families, and meet with “many government, education and religious leaders.”

Something perfectly legal yet oddly hinky. There’s a reason why most newspapers resist accepting junkets paid by industry; the appearance of undue influence is unavoidable. As rules of thumb go, politicians could do worse.

A PROMISING PANEL

Give the University of Idaho credit. After stonewalling in the aftermath of the Aug. 22 slaying of graduate student Katy Benoit of Boise, the university has been doing a lot of the right things.

The university has released some records and has gone to court seeking to release records pertaining to Ernesto Bustamante, the former assistant psychology professor who is believed to have shot Benoit 11 times before taking his own life.

The U of I recently named a three-member panel to review its safety and security procedures. And the panel includes a home-run pick, Linda Copple Trout, a former chief justice of the Idaho Supreme Court. She gives this review instant credibility.

I still believe the U of I has a lot to answer to. I want to know whether it ignored warning signs about Bustamante, who openly discussed his psychological disorders in class. (And, as I’ve said before, I have a personal interest: My oldest son, a U of I senior, took a class from Bustamante.)

Let’s hope this panel, which includes administrators from the University of Montana and Oregon State University, asks the right, tough questions.

REX RAMMELL REDUX

Former U.S. Senate and gubernatorial candidate Rex Rammell will face only a misdemeanor charge of battery stemming from a confrontation on his Idaho County property.

The Lewiston Tribune had reported Rammell would face a felony — which, if it stood, would preclude the perennial candidate from seeking office again. But when a formal complaint was filed last week, the charge was a misdemeanor.

The article weaves a bizarre tale of events leading up to Rammell’s arrest. He had let William Shira’s older son, daughter-in-law and two children live in a house Rammell leased. Instead, Rammell told the Tribune’s Kathy Hedberg, about 15 people who moved in without his permission.

On Sept. 8, a confrontation turned physical. Rammell tried to make a citizen’s arrest, charging Shira with trespassing, but a deputy charged Rammell with battery. All this comes after Rammell and a business partner moved the Shiras’ belongings off the property and, according to the Tribune, blew up a mine the Shiras claimed was full of gold.

Somewhere, Yosemite Sam must be proud. © 2011 Idaho Statesman

Kevin Richert: 377-6437

UPDATE BY THE BOISE GUARDIAN

http://boiseguardian.com/2011/09/22/legislators-have-no-business-in-turkey/
Whenever states enter into the international arena of business and diplomacy you can figure there is something wrong with the plan.
The local news outlets played it pretty straight yesterday when news was received that a delegation of Idaho legislators and their spouses was safe following a terrorist blast in Ankara, Turkey. This was nothing more than a junket payed for by the Turkish government in our opinion. It could be only a tourist promotion, but the Turks have been hustling public officials for several years. WHY?
Over the past 40 years the GUARDIAN has witnessed visits from officials in Taiwan to the legislature at a time when the island nation was struggling to remain independent–the USA does not recognize Taiwan today as a country, but various states have trade offices in Taipei.
We also saw farmers sucking up to a Libyan delegation claiming to be interested in Idaho wheat–they wanted hard red, but we grow soft white. A complex sale agreement was worked out, but the actual grain was not grown in Idaho. The reason for the Idaho interest turned out to be former Senator Frank Church’s opposition to selling US-made C-130 aircraft to Libya which could be used against Israel. The deal even had an “anti-Zionist” clause.
One politico appeared on Channel 7 saying he had taken the bait last year and had a most pleasant trip, noting the Turks are interested in Idaho beef. The legislature has no beef to sell. Ranchers have beef, but they didn’t get the freebie. We think there is a move to “BUY” political support for Turkey which has a lot of politics and diplomacy on its plate with the European Union, USA, Russia, and Israel at the moment. There is also an Islamic group called the “Gulen movement” which may be using local officials as pawns in an international chess game centered around charter schools of all things.
We got a call from one local official who said he turned down the offer for a free trip to Turkey–airfare was NOT covered–because it was simply against the law. The local guy told us there was so much value in the gift that it would have clearly violated the Idaho ethics law. He was invited solely based on his official position.
Seems HAWAII has a little better handle on ethics issues.

Congressional trips to Turkey paid for by Gulen NGOs and front groups

http://turkishinvitations.weebly.com/congressional-turkey-trips.html

San Diego Congressional aide gets free trip to Turkey with Gulen's TUSKON group

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/news-ticker/2011/sep/22/issas-digital-deputy-takes-free-trip-to-turkey/

It was off to Turkey last month for an aide to North County GOP congressman Darrell Issa, thanks to the American-Turkish Council, which bills itself as a "Business Association dedicated to enhancing the promotion of US-Turkish Commercial, Defense, Technology and Cultural Relations."

Justin LoFranco departed Washington on August 7 and arrived back in town a week later on August 14, accrording to his September 9 post-travel disclosure form posted by Legistorm.com

According to his public profile on Linkedin, LoFranco has been an Issa press aide and is currently deputy director of Digital Strategy for Issa's House Oversight and Government Reform Committee: "I do digital for the Oversight and Government Reform Committee Republicans."

Expenses picked up by the Turks included $4300 travel, $1386 lodging, $525 in meals, and $550 "other," including, "tips, entrance fee, guide fee, buses."

Issa signed the form authorizing LoFranco's free trip under a paragraph affirming, "I have determined that all of the expenses listed above were necessary and that the travel was in connection with the employee's official duties and would not create the appearance that the employee is using public office for private gain."

According to a review on the host council's website, a little play went along with the work of the trip.

"Again this year, the American-Turkish Council hosted a Congressional Staff delegation visit to Turkey."

"The first stop was Trabzon, where the group was hosted by the Black Sea Industrialist and Business Men’s Federation, Black Sea Businessmen’s Association, and Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON)."

"The discussions continued over dinner, where the guests were served specialties of Trabzon and Black Sea cuisine"

The tour moved on to Ankara for a talk about expanding the Turkish military industrial complex and a meeting with Turkish media representatives.

"Dinner in Ankara was with members of the press and was hosted by the Turkish American Business Council (TAIK). 

"The company, the wonderful view from the old city Castle, and the food were a recipe for a great evening."

The next day, it was on to Istanbul, where they met a top Turkish general, laid a wreath at Ataturk’s Mausoleum and "Deputy Assistant Manager of [the] Hyatt Hotel Omur Yeker hosted the group at a marvelous dinner in their Italian Restaurant, Spazio."

The next destination was Bahcesehir University and a chat with a business school dean, and various Turkish non-governmental groups, including the "Foreign Investors Association; Malls and Retailers Association; the Jewish Community, and the Turkish Tourism Agency Association."

"The dinner was held at the rooftop restaurant of the Park Hilton Hotel, which has a wonderful view of the Bosphorus overlooking the Dolmabahce Palace. 

"Our gracious hosts were members of TUSKON.  It was a great way to end a very busy and full week of meetings and program."

"Saturday was reserved mostly for a tour of Istanbul, but the first visit in the morning was to the Eastern Orthodox Fener Patriarch, where Deacon Yuakim Billis greeted the Staff Delegation, told the history of the Patriarchies and took the group on a tour of the compound. 

"After this informative and congenial visit, it was time to head to the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, and the Grand Bazaar. 

"The delegation was also able to visit the shop of the famous Sevan Bicakci, a Turkish jewelry designer of Armenian origin, who has a large following in the United States and the world over. 

"Each one of the pieces shown was a magnificent work of art -- a colorful ending to a great trip."

Message to Gulen Politicians from Anonymous

Pennsylvania Senator Mike Brubaker on Turkey trip, doesn't stop Penn Charter schools investigation

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-252090-senator-brubaker-us-turkey-business-potential-underutilized.html

Pennsylvania State Senator Mike Brubaker (C) with his Turkey trip’s organizer Sait Önal (L) and Stefan Peikert from his state’s trade office for Europe.

A state senator from Pennsylvania, a US state that is home to around 13 million people, has said economic relations between Turkey and the US have the potential to be much better and more improved than they presently are.

In an interview with Today’s Zaman in İstanbul, Republican State Senator Mike Brubaker, who was elected for a second term late last year, underlined that Turkey, as he sees it, is very open to American entrepreneurs to operate and do business with their counterparts in Turkey but unfortunately this potential is not being taken advantage of as it should be. “Frankly, there is just very little business-to-business relationships between the US and Turkey now,” he said. Brubaker, who also chairs the Senate Finance Committee in Pennsylvania and the International Commerce Caucus, was in Turkey as part of a 10-day trip co-organized by Turkish Cultural Center of Pennsylvania and Red Rose Intercultural and Educational Foundation. Accompanying him during the visit was his family and Sait Önal, president of both NGOs, as well as Stefan Peikert, director for trade and investment at Pennsylvania’s Berlin-based trade office for Europe. Before meeting with Today’s Zaman in İstanbul on Thursday, the group had already travelled to Ankara, Cappadocia, Kayseri and İzmir. Their program included meetings with government officials and business people as well as Turkish families. “I am here to understand if there is a business opportunity here in Turkey and the message I am taking back home is ‘yes’,” Brubaker. Turkey’s economy grew by 8.9 percent in 2010 and posted another 11 percent growth, highest worldwide, in the first quarter of this year.  He also summarized the purpose of the Pennsylvania Senate International Commerce Caucus is to ensure a ‘four-way win’ -- that is, a win for the US company and the company from the other country and wins for both countries and their people. What we do is attempt to bring businessmen together, facilitating their interactions,” he said. As part of his visit to İstanbul, the senator met officials from the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) and Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON). “I met Turkish businesspeople and they are smart, savvy, they are very warm and hospitable, generous and gracious. I didn’t get any negative signals from the Turkish business community,” he said. According to Brubaker and Peikert, Pennsylvania has the best international trade office among all 50 states in the US. The northeastern state has trade offices in a number of countries around the world including those in Europe and the Far East but not in Turkey at the present time. If Pennsylvania was an independent country, it would be the 18th largest economy in the world. Brubaker’s visit came at a financially delicate time for his constituency because the state government recently had to cut over $1 billion in spending, most of which came off the welfare budget. “This is a difficult time for us economically. Now we are looking for places to cut spending, not increase it. But I will be recommending we take a closer look to grow our ‘on-the-ground efforts’ here in this country,” the senator said. When asked what else should be done do reveal what he called underused potential between Turkey and the US, Brubaker said he already has taken the first step by coming to Turkey and also inviting Turkish businesspeople and policy makers to visit his state. As part of his visit to Ankara, Brubaker also met Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek and he said the minister was very positive about visiting Pennsylvania to contribute to economic relations between the two countries. Brubaker also said there is “undoubtedly” still room for growth in terms of political will. “What I sensed here is that Turkey is open to [do business with] Americans. But America for the most is still relatively uninformed about Turkish culture, ways and the Muslim faith. I think, when we can sit down across the table and interact in a mutual dialogue we can be open for business,” he noted. When the issue of a lack of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the US and Turkey was raised by Today’s Zaman, Peikert said it does not play a major role in hindering commercial relations between Turkey and the US. For him, it is mostly about “the way you perceive each other,” so there must be awareness raising activities on both sides. Possible areas of doing business are, Brubaker said, food production and processing, conventional agriculture and selling seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. He also underlined that Pennsylvania is going to make an enormous investment in the field of infrastructure development. “Now we are looking for the world’s best infrastructure development companies and I am confident that Turkish companies can be an option here,” he said.

Texas Senator Rodney Ellis in Turkey as a guest fo Gulen's TUSKON group

Senator Rodney Ellis of Texas accepts an award from Gulen TUSKON group



http://www.tuskonus.org/tuskon.php?c=17&s=27&e=245

Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis was in Turkey last August where he also visited TUSKON. TUSKON Vice President Ismail H. Kisacik and Omer Faruk Eksi, head of Construction Committee of MARIFED, a TUSKON member federation, met with the Senator at TUSKON headquarters in Istanbul and discussed the business opportunities between the State of Texas and Turkey.

MEANWHILE..................Harmony Science Academy Gulen's charter schools in Texas announces on their website a meeting with Senator Rodney Ellis
On August 24, Senator Rodney Ellis invited Laura Mattingly and Zhanibek Makhym from Harmony School of Discovery to his offices to discuss the Susan B. Komen Cancer Walk. While there Senator Ellis tweeted about his meeting with HSD Staff and the Cancer Walk.

http://www.harmonytx.org/news/128/hsd-visits-senator-rodney-ellis/

Those American politicians sure like the public relations and photo opportunities. 

FBI probe of Gulen may include other Cosmos Foundation schools

FBI probe of Gülen may include Abramson, Kenilworth

http://louisianavoice.com/2011/08/12/does-fbi-investigation-of-gulen-include-louisiana-rsd/

From LouisanaVoice – politics at it’s worst

August 12, 2011 by tomaswell

BATON ROUGE (CNS)—There is a common thread that links the Louisiana Recovery School District (RSD), former RSD Superintendent Paul Vallas, RSD-North Superintendent LaVonne Sheffield, Ph.D., and the Fethullah Gülen network of 155 charter schools scattered throughout 28 states, including at least two in Louisiana.
That common thread is the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Sheffield, who headed the RSD-North from June 2009 to July 2010, was brought to Baton Rouge by Vallas at a salary of $200,000. She previously worked under Vallas as Chief Accountability Officer for the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) from June of 2004 to July 2008.
She was an unsuccessful candidate for the position of superintendent of East Baton Rouge Parish schools in January of 2009 and was hired as superintendent of the Rockford, Illinois, Public School District later in 2009. She resigned in April of this year halfway through her contract.
While working for Vallas in Philadelphia, an audit by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) determined that nearly $138.4 million in grant funds were either unallowable or inadequately documented. The audit also determined that SDP should return almost $17.7 million in unallowable costs to DOE.
Before that, Sheffield was employed as Chief Academic Officer for the Detroit Public School System from February 2002 to July 2003. While there, she ran up thousands of dollars of charges to her district-issued charge card while on her wedding trip to Las Vegas, records show.
She also worked from December 1993 to May 2000 as Chief of Staff to Cleveland Mayor Michael White and also served as Director of the Department of Port Control and as manager of the $1.4 billion Cleveland Hopkins International Airport expansion project. While there, both she and White were implicated but never charged in an FBI investigation into widespread bribery in the city administration, including the port and airport project.
Both she and Vallas have departed the Louisiana RSD, but the presence of the FBI lingers.
Reports indicate the agency is conducting another investigation, this one into recent revelations about the Abramson Science and Technology Charter School in New Orleans and the Kenilworth Science and Technology Charter School in Baton Rouge.
Both schools were operated by Pelican Education Foundation in New Orleans until Abramson’s charter was revoked last month. Pelican is affiliated with Atlas Texas Construction and Trading of Houston. Atlas also operates 38 charter schools in several Texas cities through Cosmos Foundation under the auspices of Harmony Public Schools.
Atlas and Cosmos are all linked to Fethullah Gülen and his network of schools that operate under such innocuous names as Magnolia, Sweetwater, Pioneer, Horizon, Noble, Dove, Bluebonnet, Beehive, Truebright, and, of course, Pelican and Harmony.
The federal investigation, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, does not involve links to terrorism, but centers on charges that the organization uses taxpayer money to bring teachers to this country from Turkey and other countries who are members of the religious group and then requires the teachers to kick back up to 60 percent of their salaries to Gülen’s Hizmet movement.
The Gülen-run schools receive taxpayer funding and also receive private financial support, much of it from the Walton Family, owners of Wal-Mart. The Walton Family Foundation, for example, provided $230,000 in funding for Abramson as recently as 2007.
Gülen, who was forced to flee his native Turkey in 1998 after being charged with attempting to overthrow the secular Turkish government, now resides in a mountain fortress in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.
He was granted a permanent residency visa as an “alien of extraordinary ability” and as “a leader of award-winning schools for underserved children around the world,” according to his attorneys, even though he does not hold a high school diploma. Now, however, in an effort to ward off investigations, he claims that neither he nor his movement have an affiliation with the charter schools.
The investigations of Gülen and his organization, which federal officials have refused to confirm or deny, are being coordinated by prosecutors in Pennsylvania’s Middle district in Scranton, and involve hundreds of Gülen charter school members nationwide.
Ostensibly, that would include the two Pelican-run schools in New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Gulen Politicians- Jean Schmidt ordered to pay $500K for accepting free legal services from Turkish group

"Mean Jean" ordered to repay $500K

Follow up to an earlier Story.  Politicians of America you have been warned.......rubbing elbows with the Gulen Movment and TUSKON is dangerous to your career.   Lately "Mean Jean" is throwing everyone under the bus and has voted that Turkey must return non-Moslem properties back to it's rightful owners.   Gulen Movement is finding that American politiicans cannot be trusted and vice-versa.

http://www.boilingfrogspost.com/

Rep. Jean Schmidt Found Guilty of Accepting $500,000 in ‘Indirect’ Turkish Lobby Payment

The Revered Bruce Fein & Foreign Lobby Dollars in the Form of Illegal Payment of Legal Bills

I’ve been meaning to write about this for weeks, and just got around doing it. Maybe the subconscious procrastination was due to the conscious sanitization of this news by venues like this. Maybe it was the dread of having to tackle one of the quasi media phony darlings like this guy. Or maybe it was the repressed exhaustion-frustration I went through a couple of years back with this. Okay, allow me to start with the fairly recent development reported ‘incompletely and badly’ by the New York Times:

Representative Jean Schmidt, Republican of Ohio, has been ordered by the House Ethics Committee to repay a Turkish-American group $500,000 for legal services it improperly paid for to help her pursue a defamation lawsuit and other legal proceedings against a Democratic opponent in the 2008 election.

As you can see, very consciously the Times avoids naming ‘that Democratic opponent.’ Because naming him, David Krikorian, would require some fact citing and more context-background on the case; the case they together with the rest of the mainstream media went out of their way to black out. And doing ‘that’ would God forbid bring up the long-blacked-out state secrets privilege in my case. And ‘that’ my dear friends, is something that has been forbidden to these stenographers in the media circus.

So let’s continue the no-coverage coverage of a very significant case involving Congresswoman Jean Schmidt and the twisted and rechanneled Turkish Foreign Lobby dollars:

The action by the House committee, disclosed Friday, did not come with a formal punishment, because ethics investigators concluded that Ms. Schmidt had been misled by her own lawyers from the Turkish American Legal Defense Fund about who was paying the legal bills.

Ms. Schmidt was ordered to amend her annual personal financial disclosure reports to acknowledge the gift from the Turkish Coalition of America, which actually paid the bills, and then reimburse the lawyers.

The report above casually, and very quickly, glosses over one of the implicated, that is, directly implicated, parties in this case: Schmidt’s lawyer- the lawyer who supposedly, and intentionally, misled his client, and did so with a dollar amount not in the thousands, but actually half a million dollars. Ordinarily this slip by a government garbage disposal facility like the Times would not raise big flags. However, this lawyer is no ordinary lawyer. The lawyer in question here happens to be a famous, very public, high-profile and very deviously and shrewdly marketed man. The lawyer in this case is none other than deceivingly perceived Bruce Fein.  A man who has gotten very wealthy thanks to the foreign lobby, in this case the Turkish lobby in need of a man who knows the maze that gets the cheese to the congressional mice:

……………………………………………………………………………………

Read the article here @ Boiling Frogs Post: http://www.boilingfrogspost.com/2011/08/24/rep-jean-schmidt-found-guilty-of-accepting-500000-in-%e2%80%98indirect%e2%80%99-turkish-lobby-payment/



Gulen Charter Schools in the USA: Gulen Movement has keen smell for sniffing out fed...

Gulen Charter Schools in the USA: Gulen Movement has keen smell for sniffing out fed...: Gulen Movement can sniff out Federal Money and will beeline right to members of Congress in their area to align themselves by campaign contr...

Gulen Charter Schools in the USA: Gulen Charter Schools Censor The Internet, hides b...

Gulen Charter Schools in the USA: Gulen Charter Schools Censor The Internet, hides b...: http://www.todayszaman.com/news-255631-caps-islamophobia-report-raises-some-new-questions-by-aydogan-vatandas*.html
A study on Islamoph...

Final article before the election: The last exit

Final article before the election: The last exit

Gulen Movement's argumentation is a Straw Man fallacy, weak and lame argumentation

Islam’s enemy network http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist-255635-islams-enemy-network.html

There is a very important characteristic that differentiates open and democratic countries from closed and authoritarian regimes. While closed societies can find a chance to confront their mistakes only when there are large-scale revolutions or breakthroughs, open societies have a chance to do the same because they have self-critical institutions and people. Open Society like Turkiye?  Talk about the Kurdish children and Turkish Journalists in prison.

The report, “Fear, Inc.: The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America,” prepared by the Center For American Progress (CAP), which is known for its close ties to US President Barack Obama, reinforces this fact. Due to trauma it suffered from on Sept. 11, the US experienced an intense drift regarding Muslims inside and outside of the country, while and it contradicted the values that it represented, resulting in grave mistakes made in its policies. However, names involved in a network that has misinformed American society about Islam and Muslims have now been unveiled. The result of a fastidious, six-month study, the report started by pointing out the ties between the extreme right-wing supporter Anders Breivik, who went on a killing spree that shocked the world, and those who spread hatred against Islam in the United States. In the manifesto that he wrote about why he committed the massacre, Breivik mentioned Robert Spencer, who is known for spreading disinformation and hatred against Islam with his blog Jihad Watch, 162 times, well he referenced political activist Pamela Geller and conservative writer and policy advocate David Horowitz 12 times. The report revealed that those names who influenced Breivik work in well-financed institutions that work on disseminating disinformation against Islam.   Now you are inciting hatred toward Americans Robert Spencer and Pamella Geller?  shame on you.  Anders Breivik was a nutcase and not inspired by anyone or anything, he didn't shoot up a Mosque and many of the people were Christian that were killed by him.  Get your facts straight, you are a irresponsible journalists with one-sided opinion....that of the Goofy Gulen Cult. Attention has been drawn to the effectiveness of the organizations engaged in misinformation designed to provoke Islamophobia, who, despite being few in number, have had a strong influence on public opinion. The organizations which channel funding to such groups were always the same. Researchers looking into these groups “followed the money,” and were able to discover the financers of Islamophobia. It is interesting that the same funds were supporting many Jewish organizations. Names from Islamophobia experts such as Daniel Pipes to Fox News, the media leg of the network, were exposed: They included David Horowitz of the Freedom Center, Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs, the Washington Times, the National Review, Christian Broadcast Network. The political and religious figures that lent a helping hand to the network were not forgotten either: Politicians such as Peter King, Allen West, Michele Bachman and Sue Myrick are carrying the message propagated by the misinformation experts into their political discourse, while religious leaders such as Pat Robertson, John Hagee, Ralph Reed and Franklin Graham were also taking part in the campaign.  They are ALL misinformed but the Gulen Movement is correct?  What kind of Bull are you slinging?  You cannot possible think you are a journalist with credibility.   One important observation that came out of the research was that the campaign recently launched against the Gülen Movement in the US is the work of the same network. The Eagle Forum, financed by the same organizations, drew public attention to charter schools run by Turks in the US, while attempting to spread Islamophobia. The forum organized a conference series titled “How to Take Back America” in 2009, and also launched a smear campaign against the Gülen Movement together with Gabriel Gaffney in St. Louis in March 2011. Propaganda was spread to the effect that the movement was attempting to spread a radical understanding of Islam and instill hatred of the US in children. What we are facing is not a just one more case of increased Islamophobia in the post-Sept. 11 world; there is a network working to instill the hatred of Islam in society.  No hatred toward Islam, some of us are Muslim...only hatred toward your lying group that grows by deception, bribary and manipulation.  You are un democratic and prejudice toward others who are not part of Hizmet.   Of course one must not overlook groups that objectify Islam in Muslim countries, particularly in Turkey, while speaking of networks that spread Islamophobia in the West. According to the “Fear Corporation” report, those who finance Islamophobia in the US and give it media support are all in the civilian realm. In Turkey, on the other hand, in the domestic anti-Islamic campaign, important governmental organizations as well as civilians are taking leadership roles. Think of the official websites targeting Islam, the Justice and Development (AK) Party and Gülen. Let’s see who will write a report on these “fear corporations” and the forces behind them.  over 70% of Turkish Citizens do not like the Gulen Movement, if you were so popular why did Hocaefendi have to leave and remains in hiding?  Answer that one.  Oh that is right he relocated to America for health reasons...he is allergic to lead.