Judicial Watch: State Dept. Records Show Team Obama Helped Fund George Soros’ Political Activities in Albania

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Records received by the government watchdog outfit Judicial Watch show that the Obama administration helped fund political activities in Albania.

That’s taxpayer dollars, at work, under Team Obama.

In the records, which spanned 32 pages, Judicial Watch found evidence of the money being used to fund left-wingers in Albania.

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And this is the same administration, remember, the media like to paint as completely scandal-free.

From Judicial Watch:

Judicial Watch obtained 32 pages of records showing the Obama administration sent U.S. taxpayers’ funds to a group backed by billionaire George Soros, which used the money to fund left-wing political activities in Albania, including working with the country’s socialist government to push for highly controversial judicial “reform.” The records also detail how the Soros operation helped the State Department review grant applications from other groups for taxpayer funding.

The records were obtained in a May 26, 2017, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) after both the State Department and USAID failed to respond to March 31, 2017, FOIA requests (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (No. 1:17-cv-01012)). Judicial Watch agreed to dismiss the lawsuit after it received the documents and payment of attorneys’ fees.

The new documents show USAID funds were funneled through that agency’s Civil Society Project to back Soros’s left-wing Open Society Foundations in Albania, particularly the Soros operation efforts to give the socialist government greater control of the judiciary. USAID reportedly gave $9 million in 2016 to the “Justice for All” campaign, which is overseen by Soros’s “East West Management Institute.”

In March 2017, a group of six U.S. Senators led by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) sent a letter to then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson asking that he investigate charges that the U.S. government was using taxpayer funds to assist Soros in Albania. The letter said, “Foundation Open society-Albania and its experts, with funding from USAID, have created the controversial Strategy Document for Albanian Judicial Reform. Some leaders believe that these ‘reforms’ are ultimately aimed to give the Prime Minister and left-of-center government full control over the judiciary.” In the Albanian parliament, opposition leaders have labeled the Strategy “a Soros-sponsored reform.”

The new records released by Judicial Watch include an April 2016 memo from the U.S. Embassy in Tirana that reveals that the embassy “sponsored” a survey along with Soros’s Open Society Foundation to measure Albanian citizens’ “knowledge, support, and expectations on justice reform.” The Soros group survey reported that “91% of respondents either ‘fully support’ or ‘somewhat support’ the need for judicial reform.” The poll did not specify the type of reform the Soros group was seeking.

Also, records dated February 2017 show that the State Department used taxpayer funds to co-sponsor a second poll with the Open Society Foundation on judicial reforms that would essentially solidify the left’s control of the Albanian government. The report notes that the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section and the Open Society Foundation “each provided funding to a local organization to conduct a public opinion poll on attitudes towards the Judicial Reform effort.”

The records also reveal that the State Department gave the Soros organization direct input for its own program funding reviews in Albania. The February 10, 2017, report on “Engagement with the Open Society Foundation for Albania” notes that “As one of the major assistance providers in Albania, representatives from the Open Society Foundation are frequently asked to participate in technical reviews of application [sic] that we receive for funding.”

The U.S. Ambassador to Albania Donald Lu, a holdover from the Obama administration, has been closely linked to Soros and the socialist government in Albania. In May 2017, Lu helped undermine Albanian opposition party plans to protest the upcoming parliamentary election by declaring that the U.S. would recognize the election results even if opposition parties refused to participate. Lu has been described in the U.S. press as “a driving force behind Albania’s judicial reforms.”

“The Obama administration quietly spent at least $9 million in U.S. taxpayers’ dollars in direct collusion with left-wing billionaire George Soros’ backing of a socialist government in Albania. It is particularly outrageous that the State Department allowed the Soros operation to help direct taxpayer funds to other groups,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said. “George Soros is a billionaire and he shouldn’t be receiving taxpayer support to advance his radical left agenda to undermine freedom here at home and abroad.”

In related cases, Judicial Watch is seeking information regarding Soros’ activities in Macedonia, Romania and Colombia.

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Ziggy46
Ziggy46
5 years ago

Soros, a criminal whose alliance or collusion with Obama is wantonly criminal and treasonous. Not surprisingly the mass leftist media will circumvent this fact as they are, on the whole, part of the same nefariousl enterprise. It is not solely a swamp of conspiracy in which this nation and the west is foundering but a toxic sea, a sea of political criminality that seemly is ‘untouchable’.

Nevertheless, Soros, Obama and a myriad of others within the world’s governments continue this malevolent machination without fear of being indicted.

Are Western citizens so gullible, imbecilic, sheep-like to become subjugated by Islam? A rhetorical question.

Ziggy46
Ziggy46
5 years ago

Soros, a criminal whose alliance or collusion with Obama is wantonly criminal and treasonous. Not surprisingly the mass leftist media will circumvent this fact as they are, on the whole, part of the same nefariousl enterprise. It is not solely a swamp of conspiracy in which this nation and the west is foundering but a toxic sea, a sea of political criminality that seemly is ‘untouchable’.

Nevertheless, Soros, Obama and a myriad of others within the world’s governments continue this malevolent machination without fear of being indicted.

Are Western citizens so gullible, imbecilic, sheep-like to become subjugated by Islam? A rhetorical question.

Alleged-Comment
Alleged-Comment
5 years ago

When the Negro got in the left had their man in power. They couldn’t be any happier, ‘cept when the woman Hillaryous didn’t get in to complete the mission and FINISH America off, disarm and KILL you all.

Hence, the RAGE of the left at getting back at the Donald.

There was a story about a leopard that savaged a man recently out of his nearly 2 story camping vehicle and tried to tear him out through the window which they say was highly unusual. One expert said that is usually a sign an animal is sick. But another guy pointed out they set a bait or trap not too far from the area that the leopard couldn’t get to the meal or something, frustrating the leopard, and often times a leopard will get enraged and take his anger out on something, he said.

Well, that is what this reminds me of the strange, deluded and deranged left.

AlgorithmicAnalystD
AlgorithmicAnalyst
5 years ago

Albania, Muslim bridgehead into Europe.

Suresh
Suresh
5 years ago

Agree. Hungary hates soros because they know he is Pro-jihadi Left/Liberal scumbag

while Hungary keeps jihadis out and deports Left/liberal pro-jihadi Loons http://bit.ly/2gh6A72

Britainistan denies christians and welcomes their murderers.

Mahou Shoujo
Mahou Shoujo
5 years ago

So? What is anyone going to do about it? Slow news day.

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