MEF Warns Political Candidates About Taking Money Fro͏m Turkish American PACs

Correction: Ibrahim Uyar, who was the subject of an FBI interview in 2016 regarding suspected political interference on behalf of Turkey, was incorrectly listed in this video as a Ten Thousand Turks donor. We regret the oversight. However, several Ten Thousand Turks donors were involved in the same investigation, including Mustafa Tuncer, Halil İbrahim Danışmaz, Murat Güzel, and Emre Eren.

Middle East Forum (MEF) Director of the Islamism in Politics Project Benjamin Baird warned several congressional campaign committees about possible subversive attempts by the Turkish government to interfere in the 2020 election. These candidates each took money from a coalition of Turkish American PACs funded by individuals close to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party. MEF urged candidates to return donations to these PACs out of an abundance of caution.

Benjamin Baird is a public affairs specialist who organizes grassroots advocacy campaigns in support of Middle East Forum projects. He mobilizes constituencies to support MEF policy objectives, coordinates effective public pressure campaigns, and uses bold and creative techniques to disrupt the policy-making arena. Mr. Baird is a U.S. Army infantry veteran with a B.A. from American Military University. His writing can be found at National Review, New York Post, Jerusalem Post, and other prominent media outlets.
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