Gulenists start lobbying again in DC #BilalEksili #NationalCouncilOnCivilAdvocacy #EnesKanter

Gulenists start lobbying again

Supporters of exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen have started lobbying again after their main lobbying firm folded in 2018. The National Council On Civil Advocacy and its lobbyist Bilal Eksili registered effective Sept. 1, 2019, to lobby on “human rights, democracy, freedom of expression and religion, the rule of law, the protection of private enterprise and social justice.” The council’s lobbying registration lists as its Washington address the headquarters of the Rumi Forum, whose honorary chairman is Gulen.

Playing victim is what the Gulenists do (poorly)  

Eksili previously ran the Washington Diplomacy Group, which represented the pro-Gulenist umbrella group Alliance for Shared Values as well as affiliated organizations Bay Area Cultural Connections, Raindrop Turkish House, Scioto Educational Foundation, Turkish American Society of Missouri and Huddled Masses before shutting down in July 2018. Eksili did not respond to a request for comment. He has come under fire by the media in Turkey, where Gulen is accused of masterminding the failed 2016 coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Eksili has touted his meetings with US political figures in a photo gallery on his website, including multiple photos with Vice President Mike Pence.

https://lobbying.al-monitor.com/pulse/turkey

UPDATE 

Al-Monitor first reported in Wednesday’s midweek newsletter that supporters of exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen had once again registered to lobby on human rights issues in Turkey, which blames Gulen for a failed coup in 2016. Now newly disclosed activity logs reveal that the National Council on Civil Advocacy spent $10,000 on in-house lobbying in both the third and fourth quarters of 2019. In the last three months of the year, the group lobbied Congress regarding “proposals to address violations of human rights, the rule of law and civil rights by the government of Turkey,” including a bill to provide support to “prisoners of conscience and politically motivated prisoners” in the country (the bill includes a section on Enes Kanter, an NBA athlete and outspoken critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who faces arrest if he returns to Turkey). The group’s lobbyist, Bilal Eksili, also lobbied on a bill focusing on efforts by foreign governments to use Interpol “for political and unlawful purposes.” Eksili’s group’s address is the same as the Rumi Forum, which counts Gulen as its honorary chairman.

WHY SHOULD WE BE SURPISED THAT ENES IS NOW TRYING TO ESTABLISH CHARTER SCHOOLS IN OKLAHOMA CITY?   

https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/former-thunder-player-seeks-to-open-charter-school-in-oklahoma-city/

Orhan Osman new lead Gulen PR stooge in Texas and beyond #KemalOksuz #BilalEskili

Hand groomed by Kemal Oksuz lower right 

With the arrest and extradition of prior Gulen "Houston Imam" Kemal Oksuz, his replacement was Bilal Eksili who lasted a few years in Texas then replaced Kemal Oksuz as the Gulen Lobbyist in Washington DC with (Washington Strategy).  Gulen Lobbying in DC is now neutered.  They no longer have Rumi Forum, Turkish American Council (Faruk Taban and Emre Celik)

The Gulen morphs into different platforms when they are under attack or being put under scrutiny.  Their current model is to regionally market and lobby among, governors, state senators and local leaders (secular and religious)  They also utilize their 200 non profit dialogue groups to rope into local fake "DIALOGUE" with local interfaith groups, Jewish and Christian groups.  They are also currently reaching out to muslim groups like CAIR, throughout the USA.  More on Gulen US interfaith groups here CLICK FOR GULEN INTERFAITH GROUPS 

Here is the current Gulen King of Public Relations ORHAN OSMAN who was hand groomed by Kemal Oksuz.  Formerly the Interfaith Gulen point person in Oklahoma and also Texas American Chamber of Commerce watching over Gulen financial interests in SW. 

What makes the name Osman so special in Ottoman History? 

Orhan Osman new king of Gulen Public Relations in Texas 

Gulenist Lobbyists in Washington cash-strapped -find sympathetic audience but shut out from Trump Administration #DoesGulenRepresentTurkey #Mueller

Gülenist lobbyists in Washington cash-strapped, but find sympathetic audience This is the fourth article in a series on the Turkish government and Turkish-American lobbying in the United States. In the first two pieces, I discussed how both the Turkish government and its former ally turned enemy the Gülen movement are courting the Trump administration, and particularly Vice President Mike Pence, through Trump-connected lobbyists. In the third piece, I examined the impact, or lack thereof, that Turkish government lobbying has had on U.S.-Turkish relations and foreign policy. The Gülen movement suffers the exact opposite lobbying problem from its Turkish government rivals, who are dealing with a U.S. Congress, president and vice president an increasingly frustrated and angry with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The Gülen movement is “swimming with the stream of popular opinion against Turkey”, as one Washington-based Turkey expert told Ahval. Bilal Ekşili of the Washington Diplomacy Group, a lobbying organisation affiliated with the Gülen movement, agreed. “We have found our counterparts, especially in Congress and think-tanks, to be much more open and sympathetic as awareness of Erdoğan’s human rights abuses gets more coverage.” Ekşili mentioned the alleged plot to kidnap Gülen and the assault on protestors during Erdoğan’s visit to Washington last year as boosting animosity towards Turkey among U.S. politicians. The Gülen movement will have to get as much mileage as possible out of the current political animosity between the United States and Turkey, as it is in no position to run a lobbying campaign on par with that of the Turkish government. Last year, Turkey spent more than 10 times the amount on lobbying than the Gülenists did, and in the first two quarters of this year the Gülenist Washington Diplomacy group has spent less than $30,000between the two groups it has employed, Fidelis Government Relations and Sexton’s Creek.

Last week, Politico’s lobbying blog confirmed that the Washington Diplomacy Group was shutting down its lobbying operations. Ekşili did not respond for comment on the report. Though no one from Washington Diplomacy group has publicly commented on the reason why it has ceased operations, all signs point to the hard financial hit it has taken since its business conglomerates and banks were seized by the Turkish government.

“The Gülenist movement is cash-strapped currently, they lost quite a lot of money, not only in Turkey but outside, so they probably don’t have the same amount of resources,” said Selim Sazak, analyst and doctoral candidate at Brown University.

Joshua Hendrick, a professor at Loyola University in Maryland and an expert on the Gülen movement said it had been dramatically affected, but since the finances of the network had never been transparent, there was no way to put a hard value on the hit it had taken.

The Gülen movement has been cutting back its operations elsewhere as well. For example, the Gülenist umbrella organization TABA moved from its offices close to Congress due to the high rental costs. Another Gülenist inter-faith dialogue organisation, the Rumi Forum, which has been in Washington for close to 15 years, recently moved its offices out of the capital for the same reason.

The Gülen movement has not only had to contend with a greatly reduced cash flow, but also changing financial priorities. “There is great anxiety and concern for the well-being of many movement activists outside of the U.S., especially in Turkey. The movement has mobilised its resources and effort in helping those movement members who face dire conditions,” said A. Kadir Yıldırım, a fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Many Gülen supporters have left Turkey or have become stranded abroad without financial support. The movement has had to redirect much of its current financial resources, time and energy to aiding academics, journalists, students and even sports stars who cannot return to Turkey because of their affiliation with the movement.

But the Alliance for Shared Values and other Gülenist organisations act as lobbyists for the movement in their own right, like some pro-government cultural groups like the Turkish Heritage Organization. In addition, the grassroots of the Gülen movement is still intact in the United States. Much of the outreach for the movement is done by people who have no official position in Gülenist organisations. Even critics of the movement, such as Robert Amsterdam, one of the most public lobbyists for the Turkish government, said organisations affiliated with the Gülen network are very effective. “They should be complimented. They are incredible lobbyists,” Amsterdam said.

The next part in this series will examine one of the main stages in the lobbying fight between the Turkish government and the Gülen Movement, the issue of Gülenist charter schools.   

ARTICLE CONTINUED HERE https://ahvalnews.com/turkey/gulenist-lobbyists-washington-cash-strapped-find-sympathetic-audience

Another Gulenist Lobbying Firm Bites the DUST #BilalEksili #EmreCelik brought to USA on H1-b Visas as teachers turned Lobbyists

Another Gulenist lobbying firm bites the dust  Week in Review October 12, 2018 Al Monitor

Pro-Fethullah Gulen groups continue to wind down their lobbying push in Washington. Fidelis Government Relations, which had been working as a subcontractor for Sexton's Creek Consulting, terminated its involvement at the end of August. Sexton’s Creek for its part is still registered as an active lobbyist forWashington Diplomacy Group, a Gulenist firm that told Politico it was shutting down in July.

The Fidelis termination comes amid speculation that Gulen’s movement is cash-strapped amid a clampdown on its activities in Turkey and internationally. Washington Diplomacy Group itself stopped lobbying at the end of June 2018, three months after dropping five Gulen-affiliated clients. According to an Al-Monitor analysis, pro-Gulen groups spent $886,000 on lobbying in 2017.

Over the past three months, Fidelis was paid $22,000 — its largest quarterly take to date — to lobby Congress, Vice President Mike Pence’s office, the White House and the State Department (the firm was paid $77,000 over the past 15 months). According to its website, Fidelis “operates in partnership” with Sexton’s Creek, which is run by William Smith, the chief of staff to Pence when he was a congressman from Indiana.

Turkey spent $5.6 million lobbying Washington in 2017. Much of that effort, led by Amsterdam & Partners, aims to discredit the Gulenists and their chain of charter schools throughout the United States. Turkey accuses Gulen of being behind a failed coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016.

What happened to all your trips to the white house? 

New sheriff in town (Trump) 

Bilal Eksili, Faruk Taban, Emre Celik....you 

can always go back to teaching ......   after all Faruk Taban did he is

at North American University in Texas

Gotham lobbying and Gulen political group Washington Diplomacy part ways

GOTHAM WILL NO LONGER LOBBY FOR GÜLENISTS: Gotham Government Relations is splitting with the Washington Diplomacy Group, a group aligned with Fethullah Gülen, the Turkish cleric living in Pennsylvania whom the Turkish government blamed for instigating a coup there in 2016. Gotham, a New York lobbying firm that counted President Donald Trump as a client before he became president and opened a Washington office after he won, had lobbied for the Gülenist group since last spring. (The group had been known as the Washington Strategy Group but changed its name after a firm with the same name threatened legal action.) Brad Gerstman, a Gotham partner, said the decision to part ways was mutual. The Gülenist group also retains Bill Smith of Sextons Creek (a former top aide to Vice President Mike Pence who’s now a lobbyist) and the Estopinan Group.

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2018/02/06/pawlenty-quits-financial-services-roundtable-095241

Pawlenty quits Financial Services Roundtable Muzin gets a raise — GM hires Hance Scarborough

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Unmasking Gulen: Join Sibel Edmonds & Newsbud in Austin on Tuesday, Dece...

http://www.boilingfrogspost.com/wp-content/uploads/Flyer_Print_HANDOUT.pdf

Washington Diplomacy Group fdba Washington Strategy ---Name change same Gulen garbage

http://washingtondiplomacygroup.com/

With the legal issues concerning the old name Washington Strategy, it makes sense that the Gulenists would do the switcheroo to try and avoid legal hassles with Joel Rubin

Joe Borelli councilman of Staten Island, NY paid for by Gulen Turkish Cultural Center of New York

Joe Borelli visits Turkey in 2015 with other NY politicians, the trip was paid for by Gulen NGO Turkish New York Cultural Center.   He made a special trip to a Turkish prison housing Gulen criminals to plead on their behalf.  

Joe Borelli, Staten Island - NY 

Why did you take a all expenses paid trip 

to Turkey by the Gulen Turkish Cultural Center of NY

Then REFUSE to meet with other Turkish - Americans

Joe Borelli forget he was elected by the people Staten Island, NY to represent them, instead only represents his financial handlers of the Gulen Movement 

CITY HALL -- Two South Shore officials traveled to Turkey earlier this month to learn about human and civil rights abuses there. 

Assemblyman Joseph Borelli and Minority Leader Vincent Ignizio, both Republicans, were in Paris, France, and Istanbul from April 11 to 14. They tried to visit detainees in a high-security prison in Istanbul while on the trip, financed by the Turkish Cultural Center of New York. 

But Borelli and Ignizio were denied access to the prisoners, including two journalists. 

"We were trying to be part of the public outcry against the detainment of journalists," Borelli said. "Hell, you can put a journalist in jail but it can't be for the crime of reporting the news." 

Joined by Long Island Assemblyman Joseph Saladino, the Staten Island politicians went to Silivri Prison to visit the journalists and Ertan Ercikti, the former Istanbul Public Order Bureau Chief who oversaw the murder investigation of Silver Lake mother Sarai Sierra. 

The Turkish Ministry of Justice denied the Staten Island officials' request to meet with Ercikti, as well as requests to visit journalists Hidayet Karaca and Mehmet Baransu.

According to Turkish media, Ercikti is accused of wrongfully investigating a jihadist group. Borelli and Ignizio wanted to thank him for his part in solving Ms. Sierra's murder.Karaca and Baransu were arrested in what human rights advocates believe is a crackdown of media critical of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

Borelli and Ignizio said the experience made them both wary of U.S. relations with Turkey and appreciative of rights back home. 

"The cornerstone of United States democracy is freedom of speech and freedom of the press," Ignizio said. "For that to be infringed upon in a NATO ally was disturbing to me." 

The Turkish Cultural Center of New York said the pair were invited on the trip, along with "many other politicians" who were unable to go, so that they could explore human rights violations and the suppression and imprisonment of journalists first-hand. 

"Turkish Americans in New York have voiced their concerns regarding these events in Turkey," a statement from the center read. 

The Turkish Cultural Center covered all traveling expenses, costing roughly $1,500 to $2,000 for each of the officials, according to an invitation dated April 6.

The Conflicts of Interest Board and the state ethics commission approved Ignizio and Borelli's participation, respectively. 

Ignizio and Borelli spent just over a day in Paris during the first leg of the trip. They met with Muslim community leaders and attended the International Festival of Language and Culture, where a group of students performed. 

"They were interested -- almost excited -- about meeting Americans and, in essence, advancing peace amongst all our countries," Ignizio said of those he met while away.

The pair arrived in Istanbul on April 12 and spent the next day visiting the Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia and meeting with Turkish groups, including journalists. 

After going to the prison on April 14, the politicians planned to attend an opening reception for the New Human Rights Organization that night. The event was abruptly cancelled when someone from the Turkish government called the hotel where it was to be held. 

"It really sent a shiver down my spine," Ignizio said. 

The Turkish Cultural Center sponsors a variety of trips for New Yorkers, including politicians. 

This was Ignizio's first time in Turkey. Borelli went on another trip there last year sponsored by the same center. 

http://www.silive.com/news/2015/04/south_shore_officials_visit_tu.html

Joe Borelli's facebook page slamming and vilifying anything Turkish
or having to do with Erdogan. (Turkish Government)  

Who is Gulen? Reclusive Billionaire or CIA puppet terrorist Operation Gl...

Dedicated to Gulen "Golden Boy" Bilal Eksil, Washington Strategy

From Newsbud full length video available here ;
https://www.newsbud.com/2017/11/09/pocketed-u-s-politicians-exposed-the-most-powerful-criminal-organization-in-the-world/


In this exclusive video Newsbud documents and exposes the most powerful criminal organization in the world that is hiding in plain sight, headquartered in the United States. Very few people are even aware of its existence, despite the fact this organization has managed to pocket thousands of U.S. politicians.

POLITICO News announces Gulen NGOs using Bilal Eksili Washington Strategy LLC as lobbying arm

Essentially they are hiring themselves to lobby for their NGOs, This blog has reviewed info on Washington Strategy LLC and it's leader Bilali Eksili (die hard member of Hizmet)

Here is more on Gulenist Bilal Eksili

https://gulenpoliticians.blogspot.com/2017/08/bilali-eksili-trying-to-take-off-where.html

From today's (10/23) POLITICO Influence.

NEW LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS:

Washington Strategy Group LLC: Alliance for Shared Values [http://afsv.org – Definitely a Turkish/Gulenist entity based in NYC -- http://afsv.org/contact-us/#.We5QvltSxhE]

Washington Strategy Group LLC: Bay Area Cultural Connections [NOTE: BAYCC is definitely a Turkish American entity based in the SF Bay Area – See: http://www.baycc.org/weekend-school]

Washington Strategy Group LLC: Huddled Masses [NOTE: Not Turkish, according to my research]

Washington Strategy Group LLC: Raindrop Turkish House [Definitely Turkish / Gulenist, based in Houston, TX -- http://www.raindropturkishhouse.org/about-raindrop]

Washington Strategy Group LLC: Scioto Educational Foundation [Definitely Turkish / Gulenist, based in Columbus, Ohio -- https://www.guidestar.org/profile/93-1335805]

Washington Strategy Group LLC: Turkish American Society of Missouri [Also Turkish/Gulenist, based in St. Louis, Missouri -- http://tasom.org/?page_id=14]

Lobbying firms report another strong quarter under Trump

Washington Strategy, LLC has an ongoing issue with Joel Rubin's group which is the same name (Washington Strategy)

Gulenist group signs clients, still in conflict with Joel Rubin's firm

By THEODORIC MEYER

 

10/27/2017 02:56 PM EDT

With David Beavers and Aubree Eliza Weaver

WASHINGTON STRATEGY GROUP VS. WASHINGTON STRATEGY GROUP: The Washington Strategy Group, a lobbying firm started by supporters of Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish cleric living in Pennsylvania blamed by the Turkish government for instigating a failed coup last year, has started signing clients. The group registered to lobby on its own behalf last year on “Human rights violations and the protection of free expression in Turkey,” but until last week hadn’t signed any clients. The six clients all appear to be local Gulenist and Turkish-American organizations based in Columbus, Ohio; Des Plaines, Ill.; Houston; New York; St. Louis; and Sunnyvale, Calif. Washington Strategy Group also registered to lobby for each of them on “Global human rights violations, freedom of expressions, rule of law, recent refugee and immigration problems,” according to disclosure filings.

— Suleyman Turhanogullari, a partner at the firm, wrote in an email that “Washington Strategy Group LLC is a for-profit company serving clients for PR, business consulting and advocacy purposes.” “Our clients have Turkish American members who are suffering because of the deteriorating democracy in their home country,” he added. “We are working hard to increase awareness in the Senate and House for all this human tragedy that they are going through.”

— One of the firm’s clients, though, seemed unfamiliar with the Washington Strategy Group’s work. “I don’t think we hired anyone to do any lobbying,” said Turan, who declined to provide his last name, when I called the number listed for Bay Area Cultural Connections, the Sunnyvale, Calif., group that Washington Strategy Group listed as a client. He said he would find out more and call back but never did. The firm’s other clients didn’t respond to request for comment.

— Washington Strategy Group also remains locked in conflict with a consulting firm run by Joel Rubin that shares the same name. Karen Post, a lawyer for Rubin, sent a letter to the newer Washington Strategy Group in May demanding they stop using the name. But the newer Washington Strategy Group FedExed the letter back to Post’s offices unopened, Rubin said. He also supplied a photo of the FedEx envelope, which listed the newer Washington Strategy Group’s address as the sender. “This highlights the attitude they have about using somebody else’s company’s name and thinking nothing of it,” Rubin said in an interview. “And that’s problematic.”

— Turhanogullari says the Washington Strategy Group never got the letter in question. “We did not receive any letter or return anything to Mr. Rubin,” Turhanogullari wrote in an email. “I don't know how that happened. We haven't had any issues with our mails so far.

Lobbying war rages on over name "Washington Strategy" Joel Rubin vs. Gulen 

Washington Strategy Group, a lobbying firm founded by the leader of a regional arm of the Turkic American Alliance, a Gulen-connected group, is among those hiring up. In the last few months, it has contracted with the Estopinan Group — launched by Art Estopinan, the former chief of staff to Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) — and Gotham Government Relations.

This Washington Strategy Group is not affiliated with a firm founded by Joel Rubin, which has the same name.

Some of the groups supportive of Gulen are believed to have helped arrange trips to Turkey and nearby countries for lawmakers, including one visit to Azerbaijan in 2013 that became the subject of a congressional ethics probe. Gulenists — a term for those who subscribe to the Hizmet movement — are said to be prolific political donors.

Gulen, a former Erdogan ally, has been blamed for orchestrating a failed military coup last summer with the goal of undermining Erdogan, which forced the crackdown that ensued. Gulen condemned the coup attempt and denied involvement. Turkey wants the U.S. to hand Gulen over and has been sending alleged evidence of wrongdoing to the Justice Department.

Complete article here Washington Strategy battle CLICK HERE

Bribing politicians, trips, money and awards from Killing Ed

Just one example of Gulen members bribing politicians with Campaign Contributions
This is Head Gulen Criminal Bilali Eksili, note how the slant is trying to win over Republicans?

Also this doesn't account for Cash and other "gifts" The gulen organization is known for. 
Got to LOVE publicly funded charter schools

Check link here for Reported Campaign Contributions Click for Campaign Contributions