a judicial watch special report...a judicial watch special report: the financial and staffing nexus...
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AJudicialWatchSpecialReport:
TheFinancialandStaffingNexusBetweentheOpen
SocietyFoundationsandtheUnitedStatesGovernment
u u u
AdvancingaRadicalLeftistAgendaatU.S.TaxpayerExpense
u u
November30,2018 u
JudicialWatch w 4253rdStreet,SW w Suite800 w Washington,DC20024 Tel:202-646-5172 w www.JudicialWatch.org w [email protected]
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Introduction November30,2018
JudicialWatchpromotestransparency,integrityandaccountabilityingovernment,politicsandthelaw.Wecarryoutourmissionthroughinvestigations,research,litigationandpubliceducation.AspartofoureducationalactivitiesweproduceSpecialReportsonimportantpublicpolicymattersinordertoilluminatetheoperationsofgovernmentinawaythatinformsthepublicandholdsourtrustedpublicservantsaccountable.
ThisSpecialReportdescribestheactivitiesofbillionairephilanthropistGeorgeSorosandhisOpenSocietyFoundations(OSF),whicharepartiallyfinancedbyU.S.taxpayers.Soros,hisfoundationandtheiraffiliatespromoteandadvancearadical,progressiveagendathatseekstodestabilizelegitimategovernments,erasenationalbordersandidentities,targetconservativepoliticians,financecivilunrest,subvertinstitutionsofhighereducation,andorchestraterefugeecrisesforpoliticalgain.TheSorosnetworkisengagedinanactiveandongoingefforttoaffectpolitics,economics,andsocietiesinEurope(Albania,Macedonia,Romania,Hungary),LatinAmerica(Honduras,Guatemala,Mexico),andacrosstheglobe.JudicialWatchhassuccessfullyinvestigatedandlitigatedtodocumentthepapertrailleftbytheOSFnetworkasitoperates,attaxpayerexpense,tosubvertandmanipulatethesovereigntyofconstitutionalrepublicsandalliesoftheUnitedStates.
TheSorosoperationsarehighlysophisticatedandmulti-faceted,workingacrossacademia;thecourts;laborandagriculture;“socialjustice”organizations;religiousassociations;and,ofcourse,politicalgroups.OSFoperationsalsoutilizeU.S.-basednon-profitorganizationstofurthertheiragenda.KeypersonnelintheSoros/OSFnetwork(andtheiraffiliates)areformerU.S.governmentofficialscapableofleveragingtheirgovernmentstatusandaccesstobenefittheOSF’sprogressivegoals.
JudicialWatchwillcontinuetoinvestigateandlitigatetoobtainevidencethatwewillanalyzeaswepursueadditionallinesofinquiryconcerningSorosandtheOpenSocietyFoundationsaroundtheworldand,inparticular,theUnitedStates.ThomasFittonPresidentWashington,DC
Commentsshouldbedirectedto:ChristopherJ.FarrellDirectorofInvestigations&Research
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BackgroundandContextTheOpenSocietyFoundations’missionisto:“…worktobuildvibrantandtolerant
democracieswhosegovernmentsareaccountableandopentotheparticipationofallpeople.”1
TheOSF,anditssubsidiariesandaffiliates,aresubsidizedwithU.S.taxpayermoney,
totalinghundredsofmillionsofdollars.SeniorU.S.governmentofficialshaveleveragedtheirpositionsforpost-governmentemploymentwithOSFprograms,sometimesseekingtaxpayerfundingfortheverysamespecialties,functionsandregionsthatinvolvedtheirgovernmentemployment.
ItisimportanttocontextualizetheoperationsandfinancingoftheOpenSociety
Foundations.Ayearago,Sorostookdramaticactiontostepuphisleftistpoliticalactivities.AsreportedbytheWallStreetJournalonOctober17,2017,Sorostransferred$18billiontohisOpenSocietyFoundation:
“The pioneer of hedge-fund investing has transferred the bulk of his wealth to Open Society Foundations”
***
“Open Society today has a broad mandate driven largely by its founder’s values. It operates through a network of more than 40 foundations and offices in countries from Afghanistan to South Africa. Mr. Soros has urged developed countries in Europe and elsewhere to share the burden of increased migration from conflict-ridden countries [conflict, it appears, Soros groups help foment]. Anti-Soros politicians in Macedonia, Poland and some other European countries have attacked foreign-funded groups, including Open Society, for what they see as outside interference in their affairs.”2
1TheOpenSocietyFoundationsInternetwebsitemissionstatement,https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org.2“GeorgeSorosTransfers$18BilliontoHisFoundation,CreatinganInstantGiant,”WallStreetJournal,October17,2017(https://www.wsj.com/articles/george-soros-transfers-18-billion-to-his-foundation-creating-an-instant-giant-1508252926).
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ThreeyearsbeforethismassivetransferofwealthtotheOpenSocietyFoundation,InsidePhilanthropyreported:3
“The Open Society Foundations is bigger than you think. In fact, it may be the largest philanthropic organization ever built, with branches in 37 countries. While the Gates Foundation spends more money, OSF has a larger footprint worldwide thanks to its many local offices, including throughout Africa. OSF’s budget will be around $930 million this year—which is substantially more than Ford’s [Foundation] total grantmaking.”
OnemightreasonablywonderwhyU.S.taxpayerswouldbeaskedtofundthe
activitiesofsuchawealthy,sophisticated,highlypoliticized,“philanthropic”organization.In2018,OSFprojectedexpending$537,000,000ingrantsandprogramfunding
throughouttheworld.4The2018OSFbudgetexceeds$1billion.WhiletheOSF’sself-professedgoalsofstrengtheningtheruleoflaw,supportingdemocraticallyelectedgovernments,promotingfairnessinpolitical,legal,andeconomicsystems,andsafeguardingfundamentalrightsmayseeminnocuous–orevennoble–therealityisfardifferent.Sorospromotesaradicalleftagenda.IntheUnitedStates,thishasincluded:
• PromotinganopenborderwithMexicoandfightingimmigrationenforcementefforts;5
• Fomentingracialdisharmonybyfundinganti-capitalistracialistorganizations;6
3“Philanthropyvs.Tyranny:InsidetheOpenSocietyFoundations'BiggestBattleYet,”InsidePhilanthropy,September14,2015(https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2015/9/14/philanthropy-vs-tyranny-inside-the-open-society-foundations.html)4“OpenSocietyFoundations:AboutUs:Expenditures.”(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/about/expenditures).OSF2018budgetoverview:(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/open-society-foundations-2018-budget-overview-20181107.pdf,p. 4).Theorganization’s“migrationbudget”nearlydoublingbetween2017and2018(from$34.4millionto$63.3million)anditsspendingonU.S.programsincreasingby21percent(from$100.4millionto$121.1million).5“OpenSocietyU.S.ProgramsBoardMeeting,”DCLeaks.September3-4,2013.(https://fdik.org/soros.dcleaks.com/download/index.html%3Ff=%252Ffinal%2520book.pdf&t=us);and,WND,“BorderCaravan?CallItTheGeorgeSorosExpress,”April29,2018.(https://www.wnd.com/2018/04/border-caravan-call-it-the-george-soros-express/).6“OpenSocietyFoundations’2015-2018U.S.Programsplanlistsanumberofredistributionistpolicygoalsandsetsouttheorganizationsthatwillfunctionaseither“anchor”or“core”granteesforthatspecificsetofgoals.Includedamongthesegranteesareanumberofhot-buttonleft-wingcontemporaryorganizationssuchastheBlackLivesMatteralignedgroupColorofChange,UnidosUS(formerlytheNationalCouncilofLaRaza),andtheNAACP.”InfluenceWatch,
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• FinancingtheBlackLivesMattermovementandotherorganizationsinvolvedintheriotsinFerguson,Missouri;7
• Weakeningtheintegrityofourelectoralsystems;8
• Promotingtaxpayerfundedabortion-on-demand;9
• Advocatingagovernment-runhealthcaresystem;10
• OpposingU.S.counterterrorismefforts;11
• PromotingdubioustransnationalclimatechangeagreementsthatthreatenAmericansovereignty;12and,
• WorkingtopromoteguncontrolanderodeSecondAmendmentprotections.13TheSorosfoundationsfundedtheliberalthinktankCenterforAmericanProgress
(CAP)(foundedbyformerHillaryClintoncampaignchairmanJohnPodesta,whoremains
(https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/open-society-foundations/);and,Meza,Summer,“BlackLivesMatterWantstoBringDownWhiteCapitalismwithBlackChristmas,Newsweek,November28,2017.(https://www.newsweek.com/black-lives-matter-black-christmas-capitalism-724309).7Richardson,Valerie.“BlackLivesMattercashesinwith$100millionfromliberalfoundations.”WashingtonTimes.August16,2016.(http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/aug/16/black-lives-matter-cashes-100-million-liberal-foun/);and,Riddell,Kelly,“GeorgeSorosfundsFergusonprotests,hopestospurcivilaction,”WashingtonTimes,January14,2015.(https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/14/george-soros-funds-ferguson-protests-hopes-to-spur/).8Higgins,Sean,“Soros'$5millionbankrollssuitstostopvoterIDlaws,”WashingtonTimes,June6,2015.(https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/soros-5-million-bankrolls-suits-to-stop-voter-id-laws).9OpenSocietyFoundation,Women’sRightsProgram.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/about/programs/women-s-rights-program).10VanBooven,Valerie,“BillionaireSorosFundingEfforttoPutUniversalHomeCareonBallotinMaine,”HomeCareDaily,February14,2018.(https://www.homecaredaily.com/2018/02/14/billionaire-soros-funding-effort-to-put-universal-home-care-on-ballot-in-maine/).11OpenSocietyFoundation,NationalSecurityandCounterterrorismProgram.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/topics/national-security-counterterrorism).12GeorgeSoroswasamemberoftheU.N.’sHigh-LevelAdvisoryGrouponMobilizingClimateChangeResources,https://www.un.org/press/en/2010/sga1223.doc.htm,andtheOpenSocietyFoundationwasafoundingfunderoftheClimatePolicyInitiative(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/open-society-foundations-2018-budget-overview-20181107.pdf,p.8;https://climatepolicyinitiative.org/us/)13NRAInstituteforLegislativeAction,“Anti-GunBillionaireGeorgeSorosPumps$18BillionintoHisPoliticalApparatus,”October20,2017.(https://www.nraila.org/articles/20171020/anti-gun-billionaire-george-soros-pumps-18-billion-into-his-political-apparatus).
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ontheCAPBoardofDirectors14),andtherelated501c(4)CAPActionFundtothesumof$1.835milliondollarsin2016and2017.15OSFprogramstrategydocumentsdescribeCAPasan“anchor”granteeoftheorganization.16ThecurrentPresidentofCAP,NeeraTanden,wasPolicyDirectorofHillaryClinton’s2008presidentialcampaign,anddomesticpolicydirectorfortheObamacampaign.AdditionalCAPBoardmembersincludeTomSteyerandSen.TomDaschle.17
SorosfoundationsalsofundedtheAssociationofCommunityOrganizationsfor
ReformNow(ACORN)anditsrelatedentities,andDemocraticvoterturnoutinitiatives.In2003,SorosdescribeddefeatingPresidentGeorgeW.Bushas,“thecentralfocusofmylife,”anddonatedmorethan$15milliontoanti-Bushorganizationsandefforts.18AttheJanuary2018WorldEconomicForuminDavos,Switzerland,SorosattackedPresidentTrumpanddescribedhimasa“dangertotheworld.”19
Similarly,inEurope,Sorosandhisfoundationshavesoughttoerasenational
bordersandidentities,20targetedconservativepoliticians,21financedcivilunrest,22
14Lorber,Jamie,“CAPFacesChallengesasPodestaStepsBack,”RollCall,October25,2011.(https://www.americanprogress.org/about/c3-board/,http://www.rollcall.com/news/Center-for-American-Progress-Faces-Challenges-as-John-Podesta-Steps-Back-209775-1.html).15OpenSocietyFoundationGrantsDatabase.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants-database/?filter_keyword=center%20for%20american%20progress).16OpenSocietyFoundation,“U.S.Programs2015-2018Strategy.”(https://web.archive.org/web/20170227181554/http:/dcleaks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/soros/strategies/usp-2015-2018-proposed-strategy.pdf).17CenterforAmericanProgress,BoardofDirectors.(https://www.americanprogress.org/about/c3-board/).18Borger,Julian.FinancierSorosPutsMillionsintoOustingBush.TheGuardian(UK),November12,2003(https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/nov/12/uselections2004.usa)19Edwards,Valerie.TheyareaDangertotheWorld:BillionaireClintonSupporterGeorgeSorosSaystheTrumpAdministrationWantstoCreateaMafiaState.DailyMail(UK),January25,2018(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5314897/George-Soros-calls-Trump-blistering-Davos-speech.html)20Gorondi,Pablo,“Hungary’sleader:EUandSorosseekto“Muslimize”Europe,”SeattleTimes,July22,2017.(https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/hungarys-leader-eu-and-soros-seek-to-muslimize-europe/)21Adam,Christopher,“HungaryExplainsWhy‘Persecuted’FormerMacedonianPMDeservesAsylum,”HungarianFreePress,November14,2018.(http://hungarianfreepress.com/2018/11/14/hungary-explains-why-persecuted-former-macedonian-pm-deserves-asylum/).22CRCStaff,“Video:‘GeorgeSoros’sEuropeanUprisings,”CapitalResearchCenter,April18,2018.(https://capitalresearch.org/article/featured-video-george-soross-european-uprisings/).
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infiltratedinstitutionsofhighereducation,23andorchestratedamassiverefugeecrisis24thatwillleavethecontinentforeverchanged.25
JudicialWatchhasfiledfourlawsuitsintheU.S.DistrictCourtfortheDistrictof
ColumbiadirectlyrelatedtouncoveringthefactsabouttheglobalSoros-fundednetworkofleft-wingactivistgroups–whatHungarianPrimeMinisterViktorOrbancallsSoros’“MercenaryArmy”26–organizedinpartthroughtheSorosOpenSocietyFoundationandhisEastWestManagementInstitute.ThedocumentsuncoveredbyJudicialWatchthroughaseriesoflawsuitsrevealthattheObamaadministrationturnedoverkeyStateDepartmentactivitiestoGeorgeSoros’OSF.JudicialWatchreportingsuggeststheDeepStatecontinuestobealignedwithSorosascareerandholdoverStateDepartmentofficialsincountriessuchasAlbania,Colombia,Guatemala,MacedoniaandRomaniahelpOSFpushitsradicalagenda.WhatU.S.TaxpayersFund
ThevastmajorityofU.S.GovernmentfundingforSoros’entitiesistotheEast-West
ManagementInstitute(EWMI),whichhefoundedin1989.27ADirectoroftheEWMI,GeorgeVickers,waspreviouslytheDirectorofInternationalOperationsattheOpenSocietyInstitute(OSI).28TheEWMImanagesprojectfortheU.S.AgencyforInternationalDevelopment(USAID)aroundtheworld,includinginAzerbaijan29,Georgia30,Macedonia31,andAlbania32.EWMIhasreceived$72.5millioninUSAIDcontractssince2004.
23OpenSocietyFoundation,HostUniversityGuide.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/2019-civil-society-leadership-awards-host-university-guide-20180320.pdf).24Hasson,Peter,“GeorgeSoros:EUShouldDealWithRefugeeCrisisbyKeepingBordersOpen,TakingOnDebt,”DailyCaller,May30,2018.(https://dailycaller.com/2018/05/30/george-soros-europe-refugee-crisis-keep-borders-open/).25TheIndependent,“SorosFoundationsuesHungaryoverlawsmakingitillegaltohelpasylum-seekersatEuropeanCourtofHumanRights,”September24,2018.(https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/soros-foundation-hungary-law-asylum-seekers-refugees-migrants-echr-a8553261.html).26AssociatedPress,“Listof200‘SorosMercenaries’PublishedinHungary,”NewYorkPost,April12,2018.(https://nypost.com/2018/04/12/list-of-200-soros-mercenaries-published-in-hungary/).27Quandt,Richard.TheChangingLandscapeinEasternEurope.p.338.28East-WestManagementInstitute.“EWMIBoardofDirectors.”(https://ewmi.org/BODandStaff).29U.S.AgencyforInternationalDevelopment.“U.S.,AzerbaijanImproveRoadInfrastructureinSaatli.”July19,2017(https://www.usaid.gov/azerbaijan/news-information/press-releases/us-azerbaijan-improve-road-infrastructure-saatli)30U.S.AgencyforInternationalDevelopment.“ACCESS:StrengtheningCivilSocietyinGeorgia.”(http://ewmi-access.org/about-us/)31U.S.AgencyforInternationalDevelopment.“Macedonia:CivicEngagementProject.”(https://www.usaid.gov/macedonia/fact-sheets/civic-engagement-project)32East-WestManagementInstitute.“Albania:USAIDJusticeforAll.”(https://ewmi.org/Countries/Albania)
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Approximately$19millionincontractsarecurrentlyactive.Theorganizationhasalsoreceived$118.7millioningrantssince1999.$49.2millionworthofgrantsarecurrentlyactive.33
In2014,theDepartmentofStateawardeda$24,000granttoSoros’Central
EuropeanUniversity(CEU).Theenddateforthatprogramisnotlisted.34TheOrbangovernmentofHungaryhascriticizedCEUforfailuretomeettheaccreditationrequirementsinHungarianlaw,statingthatCEU,“…erectedsomethinglikeaPotemkincampusattheSoros-fundedBardCollege…[and]...OtherUSuniversitiescompliedwiththelawandhaveasignedagreementwiththegovernmentofHungary.”35
TheAllianceforOpenSocietyInternationalreceivednearly$650,000fromtheState
Departmentbetween2011and2014.36Itspresident,ChristopherStone,istheformerpresidentofOSFandacurrentOSFboardmember.37In2006,theAllianceforOpenSocietyInternationalsuedUSAIDoveraCongressionalrequirementthatorganizationsreceivingfederalanti-AIDSfundingtohaveapolicy“explicitlyopposingprostitution.”TheissuewasultimatelydecidedinAOSI’sfavorbytheSupremeCourtin2013.38
AdditionaltaxpayersupportforSoros’projectsgoestoorganizationsthatreceivefundingfrombothOSFandtaxpayers.Examplesinclude:39
• InternationalBudgetPartnership:$240,000awardedbyUSAIDinJanuary2018,$6millionfromOSFfor2016-2018.40JulieMcCarthy,thedirectorofOpenSocietyFoundations’FiscalGovernanceProgram,isontheInternationalBudgetPartnership’sBoardofTrustees.41
33USASpending.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/c239b2f3f8e89653de0bd9e3673883b9)34USASpending.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/613037a068c355ab103b73a0de60893e)35Kovacs,Zoltan,“ConsidertheCEU’sso-called‘campus’inNewYork,”AboutHungary,November7,2018.(http://abouthungary.hu/blog/consider-the-ceus-so-called-campus-in-new-york/).36USASpending.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/522a8d30214856eee1f61c7d8b2d9cc4)37OpenSocietyFoundations.“PatrickGaspardtoHeadtheOpenSocietyFoundations.”(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/press-releases/patrick-gaspard-head-open-society-foundations)38USAIDv.AOSI.(http://www.pledgechallenge.org).39DataderivedfromUSASpending.govandtheOpenSocietyFoundation’sgrantdatabasewebsite(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants-database).40USASpendingGrantSummary.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/award/48341514);and,OpenSocietyFoundationsGrantDatabase.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants-database?filter_keyword=budget%20partnership#OR2016-30645).41 International Budget Partnerships, “Governance.” (https://www.internationalbudget.org/who-we-are/governance/).
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• NaturalResourceGovernanceInstitute:$5.5millionawardedbyStateandUSAIDsince2011,$4.5millionfromOSFin2016.42TheChairoftheNRGI’sBoardofDirectorsisformerMexicanPresidentErnestoZedillo.TheboardalsoincludesSeanHinton,whoworksforOSFastheCEOoftheSorosEconomicDevelopmentFund.43
• NationalFairHousingAlliance:Nearly$16millionawardedbyHUDsince2008,$475,000fromOSFin2016.44TheNFHAisaliberalhousingpolicyactivistorganizationthatdescribesitselfas,“thenation’sonlynationalcivilrightsagencysolelydedicatedtoeliminatingallformsofhousingdiscrimination.”InMay2018,theorganizationsuedtheDepartmentofHousingandUrbanDevelopmentoverthedepartment’sdecisionnottoimplementtheObama-era“AffirmativelyFurtheringFairHousingAssessment”tool.45
• InternationalCrisisGroup:$4.2millionfromUSAIDfrom2007to2016,$2.25millionfromOSFin2016.46TheICG’sPresidentandCEO,RobertMalley,waspreviouslySpecialAssistanttothePresident,SeniorAdvisertothePresidentfortheCounter-ISILCampaign,andWhiteHouseCoordinatorfortheMiddleEast,NorthAfricaandtheGulfregionintheObamaadministration.47GeorgeSorosandhisson,Alexander,bothserveontheorganization’sboardoftrustees,asdoformerClintonStateDepartmentofficialandcampaignadvisorJakeSullivanandAustraliandiplomatand“Russiagate”figureAlexanderDowner.48
42USASpendingbyPrimeAward.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/5300f2a0a9d29f386ce4a90ab729a908);and,OpenSocietyFoundationsGrantDatabase.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants-database?filter_keyword=natural%20resource%20governance%20Institute).43NaturalResourceGovernanceInstitute,BoardofDirectors.(https://resourcegovernance.org/about-us/leadership/board#ErnestoZedillo).44OpenSocietyFoundationGrantDatabase.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants-database?filter_keyword=national%20fair%20housing);and,USASpendingbyPrimeAward.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/6f0419ace1963b98e4ddb5e77e623258).45Lucas,Fred,“AfterCollecting$16MillioninGrantsfromHousingDepartmentinObamaEra,LiberalGroupSuesAgencyNow,”DailySignal,June3,2018.(https://www.dailysignal.com/2018/06/03/after-collecting-16-million-in-grants-from-housing-department-in-obama-era-liberal-group-sues-agency-now/).46USASpendingbyPrimeAward.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/cefd9c71aef4e75758f580989113e043);and,OpenSocietyFoundationsGrantDatabase.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants-database?filter_keyword=international%20crisis%20group).47InternationalCrisisGroup.(https://www.crisisgroup.org/who-we-are/people/robert-malley-0).48InternationalCrisisGroup,BoardofTrustees.(https://www.crisisgroup.org/who-we-are/board);and,Apuzzo,Matt,AdamGoldmanandNicholasFandos,“CodeNameCrossfireHurricane:TheSecretOriginsoftheTrumpInvestigation,”NewYorkTimes,May16,2018.
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• CasadeMaryland:Morethan$5millionfromvariousU.S.agencies(incl.Treasury,JusticeandLabor)since2010;$370,000fromOSFin2016-2017.49TheorganizationisanaffiliateofUnidosUS(formerlyknownastheNationalCouncilofLaRaza)andoperatesseveraldaylaborcentersinMaryland.CasadeMarylandhasbeencriticizedforprovidingillegalalienswithinformationregardinghowtoavoiddetectionandarrest.50
• NationalImmigrationLawCenter:Morethan$200,000fromDOJsince2008,$1.575millionfromOSFin2016.51TheNILCisapro-immigrationlegalandadvocacyorganization.Accordingtotheorganization’s2017AnnualReport,it“helpedspearheadthefightforNoMuslimBanEver,pushedinthecourtsandwithCongresstodefendDreamers,andco-ledacoalitiontopreserveimmigrants’accesstobasicnecessities.”52TheChairofNILC’sBoardofDirectors,SaraGould,alsoservesontheboardoftheSoros-affiliatedProteusFund,whichreceivednearly$4millionfromtheOpenSocietyFoundationsin2016and2017.53OnOctober25,2018theorganizationissuedapressreleaseinresponsetotheadministration’splantohaltthe“caravan”attheborderinwhichitsExecutiveDirector,MarielenaHincapié,says:
“This is one more disturbing and dangerous development in a string of xenophobic attacks on immigrant communities. With this threat to ban Latinx [sic] immigrants, Trump is once again showing us that his racism-driven cruelty has no bounds, as he did with the implementation of the Muslim ban and separation of families at the border. Since day one of Trump’s presidency, he has made it clear that his administration will do anything in its power to make immigrants feel unsafe and unwelcome in this
(https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/16/us/politics/crossfire-hurricane-trump-russia-fbi-mueller-investigation.html).49USASpendingbyPrimeAward.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/144015fd2a71c20619ff861046ee6c2a);and,OpenSocietyFoundationsGrantDatabase.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants-database?filter_keyword=casa%20de%20maryland#OR2015-23716).50Simpson,James,“CASAdeMarylandandtheCorruptingInfluenceofIllegalImmigration,”CapitalResearchCenter,September2012.(http://capitalresearch.org/app/uploads/2012/08/OT0912.pdf).51OpenSocietyFoundations,GrantsDatabase.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants-database/?filter_keyword=national%20immigration%20law%20center52NationalImmigrationLawCenter2017AnnualReport.(https://nilc.org/annual-report/).53ProteusFund,BoardofDirectors.(https://www.proteusfund.org/board-of-directors/);NationalImmigrationLawCenter,BoardofDirectors.(https://www.nilc.org/about-us/board-of-directors/);OpenSocietyFoundation,Partnerships.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/partners_20090720_0.pdf);OpenSocietyFoundation,GrantsDatabase.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants-database/?filter_keyword=proteus).
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country. . . We will continue to stand with our civil rights, Latinx, immigrant, Muslim, and refugee communities to fight these xenophobic and hateful attacks. We are strong. We are resilient. We will use every tool to stop Trump from undermining the Constitution and international laws and from instituting his administration’s agenda to impose a Latinx ban in any form.”54
TheNILClaunchedaprojectcalled“UnitedWeDream”whichdescribesitselfasthecountry’slargestimmigrantyouth-ledcommunity.Thenonprofithasmorethan400,000membersnationwideandclaimsto“embracethecommonstruggleofallpeopleofcolorandstandupagainstracism,colonialism,colorism,andxenophobia.”Amongitskeyprojectsiswinningprotectionsandrightsforillegalimmigrants,defendingagainstdeportation,obtainingeducationforillegalimmigrantsandacquiring“justiceandliberation”forundocumentedLGBT“immigrantsandallies.”55
Perhapsmostnotoriously,U.S.taxpayersubsidiesandOSFfundingassistedUnitedWeDreaminlaunchingasmartphoneapplicationtohelpillegalimmigrantsavoidfederalauthorities.Theapp,Notifica(Notify),isdescribedinaTexasnewsarticleasatooltoprotectimmigrantslivingintheU.S.illegallybyutilizinghightechandonlinesocialcommunications.Withtheclickofabutton,illegalalienscanalertfamily,friendsandattorneysofencounterswithfederalauthorities.“Immigrationagentsknockingatthedoor?”thenewsstoryasks.“Now,there’sanappforthat,too.”56
• CenterforaNewAmericanSecurity:InFY2017,itreceivedbetween$250,000and$499,999fromtheOpenSocietyFoundationsandmorethan$500,000fromtheU.S.government.57CNASwasfoundedbyKurtCampbellandMicheleFlournoy,whowerelaterappointedtoseniorDODpostsbyObama.InJanuary,ithiredVictoriaNulandasCEO.58NulandwastheAssistantSecretaryofStateforEuropeanandEurasianAffairsintheObamaadministration.Theorganization’sExecutiveVicePresidentandDirectorofStudies,ElyRatner,wastheDeputyNationalSecurityAdvisortoVicePresidentBiden.59
54NationalImmigrationLawCenter.“TrumpAdministrationIndicatesThatItWillSeektoImplementLatinxBanatSouthernBorder.”October25,2018.(https://www.nilc.org/2018/10/25/trump-administration-indicates-that-it-will-seek-to-implement-latinx-ban-at-southern-border/).55UnitedWeDream.(https://unitedwedream.org).56Tallet,OliviaP.,“Apphelpsprepareillegalimmigrantsinworst-casescenario,”HoustonChronicle,April15,2018.(https://www.lmtonline.com/local/article/Preparing-for-the-worst-case-scenario-12836679.php).57CenterforaNewAmericanSecurity,“CNASSupporters.”(https://www.cnas.org/support-cnas/cnas-supporters).58CenterforaNewAmericanSecurity,VictoriaNuland.(https://www.cnas.org/people/victoria-nuland).59CenterforaNewAmericanSecurity,ElyRatner.(https://www.cnas.org/people/ely-ratner).
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TherearealsomillionsofdollarsintaxpayergrantsgoingtogroupsledbyOSFboardmembersandotherscloselyassociatedwiththeSorosnetwork.Asampleofthegrantsincludes:• ChrisStone,mentionedabove,wasthePresidentandDirectoroftheVeraInstituteof
Justicefrom1994to2004.60Therearecurrentlymorethan$23millioninactivegovernmentgrantstotheInstitute.61
• MariaCattaui,amemberofOSF’sglobalboard,isalsoontheboardoftheInstituteofInternationalEducation,whichhashundredsofmillionsofdollarsinactiveUSGgrants.62CattauiisalsoontheboardoftheaforementionedInternationalCrisisGroup.63SheisaformerheadoftheInternationalChamberofCommerceandanofficialwiththeWorldEconomicForum.64
• CeciliaMuñoz,formerDomesticPolicyCouncildirectorunderObamaandSeniorV.P.atLaRaza,iscurrentlyonOSF’sU.S.Programsboard.65SheisalsoaVicePresidentatNewAmericaFoundation,whichhasreceived$4.5millioninUSGgrants,including$580,000ingrantsthatarecurrentlyactive.66
• BryanStevenson,alsoonOSF’sU.S.Programsboard,67isthefounderanddirectoroftheEqualJusticeInitiative,68whichreceiveda$347,000grantfromDOJin2013.69
• YoeriAlbrecht,amemberofOSF’sEuropeanAdvisoryBoard,70isalsothedirectorofDeBalie,anon-profitbasedintheNetherlands.71DeBaliereceiveda$3,000DepartmentofStategrantin2009.72
60HarvardUniversity.CurriculumVitaeofChristopherStone.(https://apps.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/cv/christopherstone.pdf).61USASpending.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/b0698e127d62238401baaf7b5723ba39).62USASpending.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/d8b61b45451d31d083c826a1f9f26d55).63Op.cit.64BloombergExecutiveProfile,“MariaCattaui.”(https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=5939858&privcapId=4251721).65OpenSocietyFoundations.“Boards:U.S.Programs.”(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/about/boards/us-programs).66USASpending.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/f65f8edabcdc6776ce4228aff354099b).67OpenSocietyFoundations.“Boards:U.S.Programs.”(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/about/boards/us-programs).68EqualJusticeInitiative.“AboutEJI.”(https://eji.org/about-eji).69USASpending.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/cbd4edc0075e312a46a4b0dd3d7087fb).70OpenSocietyFoundations.“Boards:EuropeanAdvisoryBoard.”(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/about/boards/european-advisory-board).71OpenSocietyFoundations.“Boards:YoeriAlbrecht.”(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/people/yoeri-albrecht).72USASpending.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/c4a9ae3f90bb79c3a602969638dea38c).
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• KofiMarfo,amemberofOSF’sEarlyChildhoodProgramBoard,isalsoontheboardoftheSocietyforResearchinChildDevelopment,73whichhasreceivedmorethan$6millioninUSGgrantssince2011.74
• DavidHolidayisOSF’sregionalmanagerforCentralAmerica.Accordingtohisbiography,he“workedforaUSAID-fundedprojectinsupportofcivicadvocacyorganizationsintheaftermathoftheGuatemalanpeaceaccordsandmanagedaprojectinElSalvadorthatsupportedcivilsocietyadvocacyaswellastransparencyinitiatives.”75
• MichelleScott,theChairoftheEWMIBoardofDirectors,istheGeneralCounselatFairHealth,Inc.76,whichhasreceivednearly$700,000incontractsfromvariousgovernmentagenciessince2012.77
Government/SorosFoundationsNexus
ThenexusbetweenOSFandU.S.governmentagenciesarenotjustamatterofU.S.taxpayerdollarsgoingtodubiousprogramsandOSFoperatingaffiliates.Itisalsoaboutpower,policyandinfluence.StaffingandemploymentfactsilluminatethebreadthandscopeoftheconnectionsbetweenOSFpoliticaloperativesandthetaxpayers’employeesinsidetheUSG.Hereareafewexamplesworthexamining(n.b.:ThislistofOSF/U.S.governmentpersonnelisnotexhaustive):• PatrickGaspard,OSF’sPresident,wastheDirectorofPoliticalAffairsintheObama
WhiteHouseandtheU.S.AmbassadortoSouthAfrica.78GaspardhasalonghistoryinDemocraticpartypoliticsandcommunityorganizinginsupportofleft-wingcauses.ThisincludedservingasthepoliticaldirectorforACORN’sNewYorkChapter,anorganizerforthesocialistNewParty,andforJesseJackson’s1988presidentialcampaign.HewentontoapositionasthepoliticalvicepresidentofapowerfulServiceEmployeesInternationalUnion(SEIU)chapterinNewYorkandanactivistwiththeACORN-alignedWorkingFamiliesParty.HeservedasthedirectorofPresidentObama’sOfficeofPoliticalAffairsfrom2009to2011andastheexecutive
73OpenSocietyFoundations.“Boards:KofiMarfo.”(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/people/kofi-marfo).74USASpending.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/8bfc6f86f6e85337608a1564875722b8).75OpenSocietyFoundations.“Staff:DavidHoliday.”(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/people/david-holiday).76East-WestManagementInstitute.“AboutEWMI:BoardofDirectorsandStaff.”(https://ewmi.org/BODandStaff).77USASpending.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/107347fff673c9ade1610e7637dfc445).78OpenSocietyFoundations.“Staff:PatrickGaspard.”(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/people/patrick-gaspard).
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directoroftheDemocraticNationalCommitteefrom2011to2013,whenObamaappointedhimtobetheAmbassadortoSouthAfrica.ShortlyaftertherulingAfricanNationalCongressproposedaconstitutionalamendmenttoexpropriatelandfrompredominatelywhitefarmerswithoutcompensation,GaspardsentatweetlaudingSouthAfrica’sconstitutionas“moreinclusive”thanthatoftheUnitedStates.79InNovember2018,GaspardenteredintoaverypublicfeudwithInternetgiantFacebook,callingforcongressionalhearingsintotheoperationsofthesocialmediaplatformforhiringaconsultingfirmtoexplorethelinkbetweenananti-FacebookgroupcalledFreedomfromFacebookandMr.Soros.80GaspardaccusedFacebookofspreading,“hatefulandblatantlyfalseandanti-Semiticinformation…activelyengagedinthesamebehaviortotrytodiscreditpeopleexercisingtheirFirstAmendmentrightstoprotestFacebook’sroleindisseminatingvilepropaganda…Butatbottom,thisisnotaboutGeorgeSorosorthefoundations.Yourmethodsthreatentheveryvaluesunderpinningourdemocracy.”81FacebookreportedlyhiredaresearchconsultingfirmtolookintoMr.Sorosafterhecalledinternet“monopolies”a“menace”inaJanuaryspeechattheWorldEconomicForum.InaninterviewonPBSwithChristianeAmanpour,Mr.Gaspardwentfurtherinhisconspiracytheorydefense,claimingFacebook’sinvestigationofSorosfundingwasa“blackopsfalseflagoperation,”andthat,“IfindithardtobelievethatonewouldgoaftersomeonelikeGeorgeSoros,whoasyousaidisafigureofsomenote,afigurewhorecentlyreceivedapipebombinhismailboxasaconsequenceofthesekindsofvirulent,hatefilledcampaigns…”82Inapublishedinternalposting,FacebookexecutiveElliotSchragewrote,“Wehadnotheardsuchcriticismfromhim[Soros]beforeandwantedtodetermineifhehadanyfinancialmotivation.”Mr.SchragestatedthatFacebook’sconsultingfirm,“…
79PatrickGaspard,Twitter,(https://twitter.com/patrickgaspard/status/952211842939740162?lang=en).80DeepaSeetharaman,“SorosPhilanthropyPresidentCallsforU.S.LawmakerstoReviewFacebook,”WallStreetJournal,Nov.22,20186:28p.m.ET.(https://www.wsj.com/articles/soros-philanthropy-president-calls-for-u-s-lawmakers-to-review-facebook-1542929287).81AmirTibon,“SorosFoundationSlamsFacebookforSpreadinganti-SemiticSmearsAgainstJewishBillionaire,”Haaretz,November14,2018.(https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-soros-foundation-slams-facebook-for-spreading-anti-semitic-smears-against-jewish-bil-1.6656750).82Amanpour&Co.,“PatrickGaspardontheFacebookControversy,”PublicBroadcastingService,Nov.20,2018.(https://www.pbs.org/wnet/amanpour-and-company/video/patrick-gaspard-on-the-facebook-controversy/)
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researchedthis[thelinkbetweenananti-FacebookgroupcalledFreedomfromFacebookandMr.Soros]usingpublicinformation.”83AccordingtotheNewYorkTimes,Facebook’sresearchconsultingfirm(DefinersPublicAffairs),“…alsoreliedonMr.Schumer,theNewYorksenatorandSenateDemocraticleader.HehaslongworkedtoadvanceSiliconValley’sinterestsonissuessuchascommercialdroneregulationsandpatentreform.Duringthe2016electioncycle,heraisedmoremoneyfromFacebookemployeesthananyothermemberofCongress,accordingtotheCenterforResponsivePolitics.Mr.SchumeralsohasapersonalconnectiontoFacebook:HisdaughterAlisonjoinedthefirmoutofcollegeandisnowamarketingmanagerinFacebook’sNewYorkoffice,accordingtoherLinkedInprofile.”84 Mr.Gaspard’spublicrelationsstrategyincludesadhominemsmearsasatechniquetosilencecriticsanddiscourageinvestigationofOSFandMr.Soros.Mr.GaspardmadehisclaimsofFacebookanti-SemitismdespiteFacebookChairmanandCEOMarkZuckerberg85andFacebookChiefOperatingOfficerSharylSandberg,86bothofwhomarereportedlyJewish.Interestingly,inJuly2017,Israel’sforeignministrydenouncedSoros,“…whocontinuouslyunderminesIsrael’sdemocraticallyelectedgovernments,’saidforeignministryspokesmanEmmanuelNahshon,addingthatSorosfundedorganizations,‘thatdefametheJewishstateandseektodenyittherighttodefenditself.”87Clearly,Mr.GaspardishighlyreactiveandanaggressiveadvocateonbehalfofOSFandMr.Soros.AsMs.AmanpourcommentedinherPBSinterviewofMr.Gaspard,“Well,boyohboy,youarelayingdownthegauntletthere.”88Itisworthnotingthatpublic,opensourcescrutinyofaU.S.taxpayerfinanced“philanthropic”foundation
83Op.cit.84Frenkel,Sheera,NicholasConfessore,CeciliaKang,MatthewRosenbergandJackNicas,“Delay,DenyandDeflect:HowFacebook’sLeadersFoughtThroughCrisis,”NewYorkTimes,November14,2018.(https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/technology/facebook-data-russia-election-racism.html)85Zauzmer,Julie,"MarkZuckerbergsayshe'snolongeranatheist,believes'religionisveryimportant,'"December30,2016,WashingtonPost.(https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/12/30/mark-zuckerberg-says-hes-no-longer-an-atheist-believes-religion-is-very-important/?utm_term=.9d2e076e09d7).86Harris,Paul,“TheFacebookExecutiveonaSelf-HelpMission,”TheJapanTimes,March16,2013.(https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/03/16/world/the-facebook-executive-on-a-self-help-mission/#.XAGN-C3Mx0s).87Baker,Luke,“IsraelbacksHungary,saysfinancierSorosisathreat,”Reuters,July10,2017.(https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-hungary-soros/israel-backs-hungary-says-financier-soros-is-a-threat-idUSKBN19V1J4).88Op.cit.
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callingitself“OpenSociety”generatesreactionsfromMr.Gaspardincludingdemandsforcongressionalhearings;conclusoryaccusationsofanti-Semitismandincitementtoviolence;and,claimsofFacebookpoliciesthreateningthevaluesofdemocracy.
• InOctober2018,TomPerriellowasnamedthenewExecutiveDirectorofOSF’sU.S.Programsoffice.89HeisaformerDemocraticcongressmanfromVirginiaandStateDepartmentofficial.PerriellowasappointedbyObamaasSpecialRepresentativeleadingtheQuadrennialDiplomacyandDevelopmentReviewandtheSpecialEnvoyfortheAfricanGreatLakes.OSFdescribedMr.Perriello’sdutiesas:“PerriellowilloverseetheFoundations’grantmakingandadvocacyintheUnitedStates,whichfocusesonpromotingfullparticipationinAmericancivic,political,andeconomiclifeandensuringthatthecoreinstitutionsofcivilsocietyareeffectiveandaccountabletothepublic.”90
• DenisReynolds,OSF’sDirectorofGlobalSecurity,wasformerlyaSupervisorySpecialAgentwiththeDiplomaticSecurityServiceattheDepartmentofState.91
• NicolasMansfield,theDirectorofLegalProgramsatEWMI,wasformeraprosecutorwiththeDepartmentofJustice.Mansfield“isresponsiblefordesigningandmanagingruleoflawprogramsindevelopingcountries,includingprogramsrelatedtoreformofthejudiciaryandjusticesectorinstitutions,accesstojustice,legaleducationandtheengagementofcivilsocietyinruleoflawreform.”92
• EugeniaMcGill,aDirectoratEWMI,wasaconsultanttoUSAIDfrom2005to2006.McGilladvisesdevelopmentagencies,governmentsandnongovernmentalorganizationsonsocialpolicy,lawanddevelopmentissues,andonaddressinggenderandothersocialconcernsthroughdevelopmentplans,programsandprojects.93
• DelinaFico,EWMI’sDirectorofCivilSocietyPrograms,waspreviouslythePublicOutreachandOrganizationalDevelopmentDirectoratChemonics,94acontractorwith
89OpenSocietyFoundations.“FoundationsStrengthenWorktoPromoteOpenSocietyValuesintheUnitedStates.”October10,2018.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/press-releases/foundations-strengthen-work-promote-open-society-values-united-states)90UniversityofChicago.“TomPerriello.”(http://politics.uchicago.edu/fellows-program/fellow/tom-perriello).91Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/denis-reynolds-8a495b1/).92GenevaAcademy.“NicholasMansfield.”(https://www.geneva-academy.ch/the-academy/about-us/experts/detail/85-nicolas-mansfield).93ColumbiaUniversity.CurriculumVitaeofEugeniaMcGill.(https://sipa.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/documents/EMcGill_Resume_August2018.pdf).94Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/delina-fico-3a895524/).
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tiestotheClintons.95“FicoistheformerwifeofAlbanianPrimeMinisterEdiRamaandwifeofformerMinisterofStateBlediÇuçi.Fico,whohasworkedfortheSorosFoundationinAlbaniasincethe1990s,recentlyreceiveda$9millionUSAIDgrantinMacedoniathroughacollaborationbetweentheEWMIandthelocalSorosFoundation.”96
• EmilyRenard,aSeniorPolicyAdvisoratOSF,wasformerlyaForeignServiceOfficerandtheAfricaPolicyOfficerforState’sBureauofDemocracy,HumanRights,andLabor.Renardalsoworkedforthe,“AfricaCenterforStrategicStudiesattheU.S.DepartmentofDefensewhereshedevelopedprogramstopromotehumansecurity.RenardalsoworkedfortheNationalFilmBoardofCanadainMontrealandtheModernAmericanLanguageSchoolinSana’a,Yemen.”97
• JeffGoldstein,currentlytheDeputyHeadofMissionattheOSCEMissioninSkopje,wasformerlyaSeniorPolicyAnalystattheOpenSocietyInstitute.Priortothat,hewasaForeignServiceOfficeratstatefor25years.98GoldsteinwasoneofthepeoplepresentatHillaryClinton’s2010meetingwithSoros(aswasMichaelMcFaul–thefirstnon-careerdiplomattobetheU.S.AmbassadortoRussia(2012–2014);and,anObamanationalsecurityadvisorcreditedwithbeingthearchitectofthe“RussiaReset.”).99
• DianaL.MorrisistheDirectorofOpenSocietyInstitute–Baltimore.Shewaspreviouslyanattorney-advisorintheOfficeoftheLegalAdvisorattheDepartmentofState.100
• MortonHalperinisaSeniorAdvisoratOSF.HewaspreviouslytheDirectorofPolicyPlanningattheStateDepartmentundertheClintonadministration.101Halperinwas
95WashingtonTimes.“FailedAfghanProjectHighlightsClinton’sContractorTies.”June26,2015.(https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/failed-afghan-project-highlights-clintons-contractor-ties).96Exit,“SenatorstoSecretaryTillerson:InvestigateLinksofUSAIDandSorosinAlbania,”March15,2017.(https://exit.al/en/2017/03/15/senators-to-secretary-tillerson-investigate-links-of-usaid-and-soros-in-albania/).97Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyrenard/).98Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-goldstein-031a3b25/?originalSubdomain=mk).99Javers,Eamon.“Here’sWhoWasintheRoomWhenClintonMetwithSorosattheStateDepartment.”CNBC.August30,2016.(https://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/30/heres-who-was-in-the-room-when-clinton-met-with-soros-at-state-dept.html).100OSIBaltimore.“DianaL.Morris.”(https://www.osibaltimore.org/staff/diana-l-morris/).101OpenSocietyFoundations.“Staff:MortonHalperin.”(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/people/morton-halperin).
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suspectedofbeingaspyfortheSovietUnionwhileworkingattheStateDepartment.102
• DavidMandel-Anthony,aSeniorPolicyAdvisorintheStateDepartment’sOfficeofGlobalCriminalJustice,wasformerlyaresearcherattheOpenSocietyFoundation.HealsoworkedfortheInternationalCriminalTribunalfortheformerYugoslavia,HumanityinAction,HumanRightsWatch,thePublicInternationalLawandPolicyGroup,andtheInternationalCenterforTransitionalJustice.103
• MaryGardnerCoppolaisaForeignPolicyAdvisorfortheU.S.MarineCorpsandwasaForeignServiceOfficeratStatefortenyears.ShewaspreviouslyandAnalystwiththeOpenSocietyInstitute.104
• LaurenTroyisaStatePolicyAdvisorwiththeDepartmentofJustice.ShepreviouslyworkedfortheOpenSocietyFoundationsfortwoyearsinanunspecifiedcapacity.105
• JamesGrahamWilsonisaHistorianattheDepartmentofState.HepreviouslyinternedfortheOpenSocietyFoundations.106WilsonreceivedhisPh.D.indiplomatichistoryfromtheUniversityofVirginiain2011andhisB.A.fromVassarCollegein2003.HecurrentlyworksonSovietandNationalSecurityPolicyvolumesfortheForeignRelationsoftheUnitedStates(FRUS)series.107
• W.BryceKincaidisaForeignServiceOfficerwithStatecurrentlypostedinUkraine.ShewasformerlyalegalclerkwithOSF.108
• SarahCross,aSeniorPolicyAdvisorwithOSF,wasformerlyaPolicyAnalystwiththeDepartmentofStateandwastheDirectorofHumanRightsattheNSCfrom2016to2017.109
102Sperry,Paul.“ToRussiawithLove?”WorldNetDaily.May19,2000.(https://www.wnd.com/2000/05/7246/).103Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mandel-anthony-798913b7/).104Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-gardner-coppola-4bb912143/).105Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-troy-985621aa/).106Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-graham-wilson-5680652a/).107WilsonCenter,HistoryandPublicPolicyProgramGuestSpeaker.(https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/james-graham-wilson).108Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/wbrycekincaid/).109Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-cross-15a68835/).
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• ElisabethSocolowisaForeignServiceOfficercurrentlyservinginSeoul.ShewaspreviouslytheAssistantDirectorforForcedMigrationProjectsatOSF.110
• LuisDeBacaiscurrentlyaFellowatOSF.UntilFebruary2017,hewastheDirectorofDOJ’sSexOffenderSentencing,Monitoring,Apprehension,Registration,andTracking(SMART)office.HewaspreviouslyanObama-appointedAmbassadortoMonitorandCombatTraffickinginPersons.111
• GabiChojkierwastheObamaWhiteHouse’sSeniorDirectorofHispanicMedia.ShewaspreviouslyaSeniorCommunicationsAdvisoratUSAIDaCommunicationsofficeratOSF.112
• AndrewLohsen,MonitoringOfficeratOSCE’smissiontoUkraine,waspreviouslyaResearchConsultantatOSF.113
Caravan-RelatedActivitiesFundedbyOSF
InlateOctober2018,JudicialWatchdispatchedaninvestigativeteamtoGuatemalatoreportonthe“caravans”ofHonduransandothersstreamingnorthtoentertheUnitedStates.Thepopularmainstreammedianarrativeofdesperatemigrants—manyofthemwomenandchildren—seekingabetterlifeishardlyaccurate.Theinitialcaravanconsistedoflargegroupsofmen,somewithcriminalhistories,aggressivelydemandingthattheU.S.takethemin.DuringavisittotheGuatemalantownofChiquimula,about35milesfromtheHonduranborder,JudicialWatchencounteredarowdygroupofabout600men,ages17toabout40,marchingnorthonanarrowtwo-lanehighway.ThemensoughtjobsinAmericaandimprovedeconomicopportunities–notpoliticalasylum.Onemaninhis30scontradictedmediareportsthatcaravanparticipantsarefleeingviolenceandfearfortheirlife.“We’renotscared,”hesaidwavinghisindexfingerasothersaroundhimnoddedinagreement.“We’regoingtotheUnitedStatestogetjobs.”Otherschanted“vamosparaalláTrump!”(We’recomingTrump)astheyclenchedtheirfistsintheair.“Weneedmoneyandfood,”saida29-year-oldmanwhomadethetrekwithhis21-year-oldbrother.
AllofthemigrantsinterviewedbyJudicialWatchrepeatedthesamerehearsedline
whenaskedwhoorganizedthecaravan,insistingitwasaspontaneouseventeventhoughtherewereclearlyorganizersshoutinginstructionsinSpanishandputtingselectpersonsin
110Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabeth-socolow-91a72a5/).111Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-c-debaca-53a29253/).112Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/gchojkier/).113Linkedin.comPublicProfile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlohsen/).
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frontofcamerasforinterviews.AfewclaimedtheyheardaboutitonlocalnewsinHonduras.Allofthemsaidthecaravanwasnotaboutpoliticsbutratherpoverty.“IjustwanttogetbacktotheU.S.,”saida32-year-oldmanwhoadmittedhehasbeendeportedfromtheU.S.twice.“Wearealljustlookingforwork.”Thegroupradiatedasenseofempowerment.Onemarcher,whoappearedtobeinhislateteens,yelled“yougoliveinHondurasandseewhatit’slike!”
Guatemalanintelligenceofficialsconfirmedthatthecaravanthatoriginatedinthe
northernHondurancityofSanPedroSulaincludesamultitudeofSpecialInterestAliens(SIA)fromthecountriessuchasBangladesh,SriLanka,andAngola,aswellasothercriminalelementsandgangmembers.ThemigrantcaravanmarchingnorthboundthroughCentralAmericaisan“elaboratelyplanned”movementthat’sbenefitinghumansmugglersandbringingdisturbingnumbersofviolentgangmembersandothercriminalelementsthroughGuatemala,accordingtogovernmentsourcesinthecapitalcity.“MS-13gangmembershavebeendetainedandcoyotes(humansmugglers)arejoiningthemarchwithclientswhopaytogetsmuggledintotheUnitedStates,”aGuatemalanofficialtoldJudicialWatch.
Guatemalangovernmentofficials,toincludePresidentJimmyMorales,pointedto
“Leftistorganizations”asorganizersandsupportersofthecaravan,seekingtodestabilizegovernmentsintheregionandmanipulatethemigrantsforpoliticalpurposes.PresidentMoralesstatedthathewantedthegroupsbehindthecaravaninvestigatedcriminallyforcreatingtheconditionsthatendangerthemigrantsontheirlong,perilousjourney,aswellasviolatingimmigration,customsandbordersecuritylaws. LeftistorganizationsreceivingOSFfinancingwhicharereportedlypromoting,organizingandsupportingthecaravaninclude:• TheCatholicLegalImmigrationNetwork(CLINIC)is"thelargestnetworkofnonprofit
immigrationlegalservicesprograms"inthecountry.114CLINICwasoneofthefoundingorganizationsoftheCARAFamilyDetentionProBonoProject,115whichreportedlyhelpedtocoordinatePuebloSinFronteras'[PeopleWithoutBorders]previousmigrantcaravan.116AlexMensing,117anorganizerwithPuebloSinFronteras
114CatholicLegalImmigrationNetwork.(https://cliniclegal.org/sites/default/files/annualreport/Annual-Report-2016-Final.pdf).115Ibid.(https://cliniclegal.org/about-us/programs/CARA).116Wynne,Stephen,“SorosFundingCatholicOpenBordersPush,”ChurchMilitant,April6,2018.(https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/catholic-group-colludes-with-soros-on-open-borders).117https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-mensing-13b54028/.
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whoisinvolvedinthecurrentcaravan,waspreviouslyacoordinatorwiththeCARAproject.CLINICreceived$150,000fromOSFin2016.CLINIChasreceivedmorethan$4.2millioningrantsfromHHS,DOJ,andDHSsince2006.118
• TheAmericanConstitutionSocietyreceived$2,250,000fromOSFin2016.IthasbeenhighlycriticalofthePresident’simmigrationpoliciesandhasorganizedteleconferencebriefingson“theCaravan,thePresident,andtheConstitution.”119
• CentroparalaAcciónLegalenDerechosHumanos(CenterforLegalActioninHumanRights,CALDH)receiveda$100,191humanrightsgrantfromtheOpenSocietyFoundationsin2015.In2013,itreceiveda$25,000grantfromtheOSF.Therearemanysimilarly-fundedorganizations,includingthoselistedinJudicialWatch’sSpecialReport:“GeorgeSoros’OpenSocietyFoundationActivitiesinGuatemala.”120
• TheLawyersCommitteeforCivilRightshasreceived$3.3millionfromOSFsince2016.TheorganizationsuedtheTrumpadministrationovertheimmigrationexecutiveorderandtheinclusionofacitizenshipquestiononthe2020censusform.
• AmnestyInternational,whichhasreceivedmorethan$300,000fromOSF,iscurrentlyrunningafundraisingcampaignbasedonitsassistancetothemigrantcaravan:
118USASpending.(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/search/0bcf0ad3ebf5093ec86f26d02545d68f)119AmericanConstitutionSociety(https://www.acslaw.org/).120JudicialWatch’sSpecialReport:“GeorgeSoros’OpenSocietyFoundationActivitiesinGuatemala.”(https://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2018/04/u-s-funds-entities-promoting-soros-radical-globalist-agenda-guatemala/).
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• TheNationalImmigrationProjectoftheNationalLawyersGuildisalongtimebeneficiaryofOSFgrants.121TheNewYorkTimes,describedtheirlegalassistancetocaravanmigrants:
“Some clustered around volunteer American lawyers who arrived at the shelter to explain the basics of asylum law. “People don’t flee their country and go through the arduous trip on foot unless the situation is desperate,” said Gilbert Saucedo, a Los Angeles lawyer who helped organize the volunteers through the National Lawyers Guild. [Emphasis added.] “I have talked to maybe 100 people today,” he said on Saturday, “and maybe 70 percent had credible cases on the surface.” Yet many lack the documents they need to provide evidence.”122
TheCenterforConstitutionalRightsandAlOtroLadofiledalawsuitagainstthe
administrationonOctober15thchallengingtheadministration’spolicy,institutedinresponsetothecaravans,ofturningbackasylumseekersattheborder.123TheCCRreceived$530,000fromOSFin2016.
• HumanRightsFirst,whichactivelyopposestheadministration’simmigrationenforcementefforts,124hasreceivedover$1millionfromOSFsince2016.
• ChurchWorldService,whichprovidesassistancetoimmigrantsandrefugees,received$179,600fromOSFin2017.OnOctober19th,theorganizationissuedapressreleasecriticizingtheadministration’sresponsetothecaravanthatquoteitsPresidentandCEOasfollows:
“A dark moment in our history as a nation was when we turned away the MS St. Louis carrying 900 Jewish families seeking asylum and returned them to the horrors of the Holocaust. Today,
121NationalImmigrationProjectoftheNationalLawyersGuildAnnualReport.https://www.nationalimmigrationproject.org/PDFs/annualrepts/2011_annual-report.pdf122Malkin,Elizabeth,“MigrantCaravanIsJustYardsFromU.S.Border,butLongWaitLiesAhead,”NewYorkTimes,November18,2018.(https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/18/world/americas/mexico-tijuana-migrants-caravan.html).123CenterforConstitutionalRights.“NewLegalFilingLinksHigh-LevelTrumpOfficialstoAsylumTurnbackPolicy.”October15,2018.(https://ccrjustice.org/home/press-center/press-releases/new-legal-filing-links-high-level-trump-officials-asylum-turnback).124https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/topics/immigration-detention.
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asylum protections offer a last hope for people facing life-threatening conditions. CWS and faith communities across the country demand the administration uphold our moral and legal obligations to welcome people seeking protection.”125
JudicialWatchLitigationUncoversU.S.GovernmentFundingofSoros/OSFMacedonia
JudicialWatchreportinguncoveredhowtheU.S.governmentquietlyspentmillionsoftaxpayerdollarstodestabilizethedemocraticallyelected,center-rightgovernmentinMacedoniabycolludingwithSorosorganizations,throughBarackObama’sU.S.AmbassadortoMacedonia,JessL.Baily.AmbassadorBailyworkedbehindthesceneswithSoros’OpenSocietyFoundationtofunnellargesumsofAmericandollarstotheircause.
ThecashflowedthroughtheStateDepartmentandthefamouslycorruptU.S.
AgencyofInternationalDevelopment(USAID)126,whichischargedwithprovidingglobaleconomic,developmentandhumanitarianassistance.USAIDallocatedabout$5milliontoleftwingSorosgroupsinMacedoniasince2012,documentsshow,andatleast$9.5millionhasbeenearmarkedbytheagencytointerveneintheBalkannation’sgovernmentalaffairsfor2016-2021.127
Accordingtohigh-levelsourcesinMacedoniaandtheU.S.thathaveprovided
JudicialWatchwithrecordsaspartofanongoinginvestigation.TheOSFestablishedandfundeddozensofleftwing,nongovernmentalorganizations(NGOs)inMacedoniatooverthrowtheconservativegovernment.OneMacedoniangovernmentofficialinterviewedbyJudicialWatchinWashingtonD.C.,calleditthe“Sorosinfantry.”Thegroupsorganizeyouthmovements,createinfluentialmediaoutletsandorganizeviolentproteststounderminetheinstitutionsandpoliciesimplementedbythegovernment.OneoftheSoros’groupsfundedthetranslationandpublicationofSaulAlinsky’s“RulesforRadicals”intoMacedonian.Thebookisatacticalmanualofsubversion,providesdirectadviceforradicalstreetprotestsandproclaimsLucifertobethefirstradical.
Withapopulationofabout2million,MacedoniahasoneofthemoreconservativegovernmentsinEurope.ThisincludesthelowestflattaxinEurope,closetieswithIsrael 125https://cwsglobal.org/cws-demands-administration-uphold-the-right-of-all-people-fleeing-violence-to-seek-asylum-and-legal-protection/.126Sledge,Matt,“WatchdogWarnsofCorruptionas$1BillioninU.S.AidFlowstoAfghanistan,”HuffingtonPost,January30,2014.(https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/30/usaid-afghanistan_n_4696465.html).127USAID,CivilSocietyProject.(https://www.usaid.gov/macedonia/fact-sheets/civil-society-project-csp).
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andpro-lifepolicies.Thecountrybuiltaborderfencetocrackdownonanillegalimmigrationcrisisof2015-16thatoverwhelmedlawenforcementagencies.Between10,000and12,000illegalalienswerecrossingtheGreek-MacedonianborderdailyatthepeakoftheEuropeanmigrationcrisis,aMacedonianofficialtoldJudicialWatch,andtheimpactwasdevastating.
InJanuary2017,UtahSenatorMikeLeesentAmbassadorBailyaletterasking
questionsinvolvingtheU.S.MissiontoMacedonia’sinvolvementinthepoliticalprocessanditsconnectionstotheOpenSocietyFoundation.128Specifically,theletterasked:
“Has the US Mission to Macedonia selected the Open Society Foundations as the major implementer of USAID projects in Macedonia? And, is the Open Society Foundations perceived to have political bias by Macedonians? In this regard I would appreciate further information about the process by which projects and needs for Macedonia are assessed by US officials in country before requests for proposals are written and grant recipients or program implementers selected.”
SixUnitedStatesSenatorsexpressedinterestinUSAIDandStateDepartment
fundingofSoros/OSFoperations.129Intypicalfashion,theStateDepartmentstonewalledtheinquiry.Thesenatorsreceivedanon-responsivereplyinApril2017fromcareerStateDepartmentofficialwhoservedasatopaidetoformerSecretaryofStateHillaryClinton;workedcloselywithherintheimmediateaftermathoftheBenghaziattacks;and,wasembroiledinClinton’semailservercrimes–JosephE.MacManus.MacManusessentiallyrebuffedthesenators’requestforaninvestigationintowhethertheStateDepartmentandUSAIDwereusingtaxpayermoneytosupportliberalcausestheyviewedashavingnoclearnational-securityinterest.TheWashingtonFreeBeaconreported:
“MacManus, in a written response to the senators, defended USAID’s work without responding to their concerns about U.S. tax dollars supporting Soros’s causes and their call for a State Department review into those funding decisions.
128“LeeLetterSeeksAccountabilityforUSAmbassadorinMacedonia.,”January17,2017.(https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=09FD00EC-5CA9-4FD4-8A18-03EE674A592A).129 Lee, Inhofe Letter to Secretary of State, March 14, 2017. (https://www.scribd.com/document/341866712/Lee-Inhofe-Letter-to-Secretary-Tillerson#from_embed).
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‘The Department of State’s foreign assistance programs are rigorously designed, implemented and monitored to ensure that they are based on core American values,’ MacManus said in a letter.”130
Ironically,MacManusisnowPresidentTrump’snomineeasambassadorto
Colombia.Someanalystsviewthissortof“DeepState”obstructionandprotectionofSoros/OSFtaxpayerfinancedpoliticalactivismasthegreatestthreattotheTrumpadministrationreining-intheStateDepartmentanditssubsidiaryagencies.Likewise,legitimatecongressionaloversightisthwartedbycareeristswithimpunity.
ThefactremainsthatmillionsofU.S.taxpayerdollarshavealreadybeenspenton
thisillicitMacedonianoperation(andothersaroundtheworld),andgovernmentagenciesmustbeheldaccountable.Albania
JudicialWatchobtained32pagesofrecordsshowingtheObamaadministrationsentU.S.taxpayers’fundstoagroupbackedbySoros/OSF,whichusedthemoneytofundleft-wingpoliticalactivitiesinAlbania,includingworkingwiththecountry’ssocialistgovernmenttopushforhighlycontroversialjudicial“reform.”TherecordsalsodetailhowtheSoros/OSFoperationwasinvolvedin“helping”theStateDepartmentreviewandmakegrantapplicationsfromothernon-governmentalgroupsforU.S.taxpayerfunding.131
TherecordswereobtainedinaMay26,2017,FreedomofInformationAct(FOIA)lawsuitagainsttheU.S.DepartmentofStateandtheUSAIDafterbothentitiesfailedtorespondtoMarch31,2017,FOIArequests(JudicialWatchv.U.S.DepartmentofStateandtheU.S.AgencyforInternationalDevelopment(No.1:17-cv-01012)).JudicialWatchagreedtodismissthelawsuitafteritreceivedthedocumentsandpaymentofattorneys’fees.ThenewdocumentsshowUSAIDfundswerefunneledthroughthatagency’sCivilSocietyProjecttobackOSFpoliticaloperationsinAlbania,particularlyOSFeffortstogivethesocialistgovernmentgreatercontrolofthejudiciary.USAIDreportedlygave$9millionin2016tothe“JusticeforAll”campaign,whichisoverseenbySoros’sEWMI.
130 Crabtree, Susan, “Conservatives Urge Trump Not to Name Former Top Clinton Aide Ambassador to Colombia,” Washington Free Beacon, September 15, 2017. (https://freebeacon.com/politics/conservatives-urge-trump-not-name-former-top-clinton-aide-ambassador-colombia/). 131JudicialWatchFOIAtoStateDepartment,CaseNo.F-2017-09463,Sept.7,2017documentproduction.(https://www.judicialwatch.org/document-archive/jw-v-state-soros-albania-01012/)
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InMarch2017,agroupofsixU.S.SenatorsledbySen.MikeLee(R-UT)againsentalettertothen-SecretaryofStateRexTillersonaskingthatheinvestigatechargesthattheU.S.governmentwasusingtaxpayerfundstoassistSoros/OSFinAlbania.Thelettersaid,
“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.”132
IntheAlbanianparliament,oppositionleadershavelabeledtheStrategy“aSoros-
sponsoredreform.”133
ThenewrecordsreleasedbyJudicialWatchincludeanApril2016memofromtheU.S.EmbassyinTiranathatrevealsthattheembassy“sponsored”asurveyalongwithSoros’sOpenSocietyFoundationtomeasureAlbaniancitizens’“knowledge,support,andexpectationsonjusticereform.”TheSoros/OSFgroupsurveyreportedthat“91%ofrespondentseither‘fullysupport’or‘somewhatsupport’theneedforjudicialreform.”ThepolldidnotspecifythetypeofreformtheSoros/OSFgroupwasseeking.134
Also,recordsdatedFebruary2017showthattheStateDepartmentusedtaxpayerfundstoco-sponsorasecondpollwiththeOSFonjudicialreformsthatwouldessentiallysolidifytheleft’scontroloftheAlbaniangovernment.ThereportnotesthattheU.S.Embassy’sPublicAffairsSectionandtheOpenSocietyFoundation,“eachprovidedfundingtoalocalorganizationtoconductapublicopinionpollonattitudestowardstheJudicialReformeffort.”135
TherecordsalsorevealthattheStateDepartmentgavetheSoros/OSForganizationdirectinputforitsownprogramfundingreviewsinAlbania.TheFebruary10,2017,reporton“EngagementwiththeOpenSocietyFoundationforAlbania”notesthat:
132 Lee, Inhofe Letter to Secretary Tillerson, March 14, 2017. (https://www.scribd.com/document/341866712/Lee-Inhofe-Letter-to-Secretary-Tillerson#from_embed). 133Mejdini,Fatjona,“AlbanianOppositionLeaderClaimstobeSorosTarget,”BalkanInsight,March28,2017.(http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/albanian-opposition-leader-claims-of-being-a-soros-s-target-03-28-2017).134U.S.DepartmentofStateCaseNo.F-2017-09463,DocNo.C06353336,Date:09/07/2017.(http://www.judicialwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Pages-from-JW-v-State-Soros-Albania-01012-3-10-11.pdf)135U.S.DepartmentofStateCaseNo.F-2017-09463,DocNo.C06377848,Date:09/07/2017.(http://www.judicialwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Pages-from-JW-v-State-Soros-Albania-01012-3-27.pdf).
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“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.”136
TheformerU.S.AmbassadortoAlbania,DonaldLu,(nowassignedastheU.S.
AmbassadortoKyrgyzRepublic)wasaholdoverfromtheObamaadministration,andcloselylinkedtoSoros/OSFandthesocialistgovernmentinAlbania.137InMay2017,AmbassadorLuhelpedundermineAlbanianoppositionpartyplanstoprotesttheupcomingparliamentaryelectionbydeclaringthattheU.S.wouldrecognizetheelectionresultsevenifoppositionpartiesrefusedtoparticipate.AmbassadorLuhasbeendescribedintheU.S.pressas“adrivingforcebehindAlbania’sjudicialreforms.”138
“TheObamaadministrationquietlyspentatleast$9millioninU.S.taxpayers’dollarsindirectcollusionwithleft-wingbillionaireGeorgeSoros’backingofasocialistgovernmentinAlbania.ItisparticularlyoutrageousthattheStateDepartmentallowedtheSorosoperationtohelpdirecttaxpayerfundstoothergroups,”JudicialWatchPresidentTomFittonsaid.“GeorgeSorosisabillionaireandheshouldn’tbereceivingtaxpayersupporttoadvancehisradicalleftagendatounderminefreedomhereathomeandabroad.”RelatedCases:RomaniaandColombia
Inrelatedcases,JudicialWatchisseekinginformationregardingSoros/OSF
activitiesinRomaniaandColombia.TheOpenSocietyFoundationsofRomanialawsuitwasfiledafterStateandUSAIDfailedtosubstantivelyrespondtoanOctober16,2017,FOIArequestseekingamongotherrecords:
• Allrecordsrelatingtoanycontracts,grantsorotherallocations/disbursementsof
fundsbytheStateDepartmenttotheOpenSocietyFoundation–Romaniaand/orits
136U.S.DepartmentofStateCaseNo.F-2017-09463,DocNo.C06377848,Date:09/07/2017.(http://www.judicialwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Pages-from-JW-v-State-Soros-Albania-01012-3-27.pdf).137Wood,L.Todd,“Soros-infectedStateDepartmentplayspoliticalgamesinAlbania,”TheWashingtonTimes,February9,2017.(https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/9/donald-lu-george-soros-cohort-plays-albania-politi/).138Nahzi,Fron,“Albania:AmbassadorLu’sWatchList,”HuffingtonPost,December20,2016.(https://www.huffingtonpost.com/fron-nahzi/albania-ambassador-lus-wa_b_8849026.html).
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personneland/oranyOSFRsubsidiaryoraffiliate.
• Allassessments,evaluations,reportsorsimilarrecordsrelatingtotheworkofOpenSocietyFoundation–Romaniaand/oritssubsidiariesoraffiliatedorganizations.TheSorosOpenSocietyFoundationsofColombialawsuitwasfiledafterStatefailed
torespondtoanOctober23,2017,FOIArequestseekingamongotherrecords:
• Allrecordsregardinganycontracts,grantsorotherallocations/disbursementsoffundsbytheStateDepartmenttotheOpenSocietyFoundation–Colombiaand/oranyOSFsubsidiaries/affiliates,and/orOSFpersonneloperatinginColombia,aswellasthefollowingentities:FundacionIdeasparalaPaz;LaSillaVacia;DeJusticia;CorporacionNuevoArcoIris;PazyReconciliacion;GlobalDrugPolicyProgram;andnewsportalLasDosOrillas.
• Allrecordsofcommunication,whetherbye-mails,textmessages,orinstantchats,betweenanyofficials,employeesorrepresentativesoftheStateDepartmentinColombia,includingAmbassadorKevinWhitakerandanyofficials,employeesorrepresentativesoftheOpenSocietyFoundation,itssubsidiaries/affiliates,and/orthoseentitiesidentifiedinthefirstbullet.Asinotherpartsoftheworld,anumberofSoros-fundedentitiesandprojectsin
RomaniaarealsofundedbytheUnitedStatesGovernment.TheRomanianCenterforIndependentJournalism,whichissupportedbytheOpenSocietyInstituteinNewYork139,received$17,000fromtheStateDepartmentin2017.140
InFebruary2017,LauraSilber,ChiefCommunicationsOfficerofOpenSociety
Foundationsreportedlycondemned“illiberalgovernments”intheBalkans,suchasMacedonia,AlbaniaandRomania,forworkingagainsttheSoros/OSFNGOs.141InRomania,inMarch2017,theleaderofthegoverningpartyreportedlychargedthattheSorosfoundations“thathehasfundedsince1990havefinancedevil.”142
139RomanianCenterforIndependentJournalism.(http://www.cji.ro/parteneri-și-finanțatori/)140USASpending.gov.,GrantSummaryAwardID:SRO10017GR0082(https://www.usaspending.gov/#/award/50021490).141BIRNTeam,“SorosFoundationBlamesAttackson'IlliberalGovernments',”BalkanInsight,February10,2017.(http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/soros-foundation-rebuffs-balkan-governments-attacks-02-09-2017).142Dunai,Marton,“Soros-fundedcharitiestargetedbyTrump-inspiredcrackdowninEastEurope,”Reuters,March23,2017.(https://www.reuters.com/article/us-easteurope-soros/soros-funded-charities-targeted-by-trump-inspired-crackdown-in-east-europe-idUSKBN16U17Y).
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Soros/OSFNGOsinColombiaarereportedlyreceivingmillionsfromUSAID143:
• VerdadAbierta,aweb-basedportalcreatedbyTeresaRonderos,144directoroftheOpenSocietyProgramonIndependentJournalism,boastsonitswebsitethatitreceivessupportfromUSAID.145VerdadAbiertahashelpedrewriteColombia’shistory,elevatingterroriststothesamelevelasthelegitimatepoliceandmilitaryforces,andrebrandingdecadesofmassacres,kidnappings,childsoldiering,anddrugtraffickingbyacriminalsyndicateassimply“50yearsofarmedconflict.”146
• FundacionIdeasparalaPaz,147onceledbypeacenegotiatorSergioJaramillo,nowamemberoftheoversight“junta,”isfundedbytheOpenSocietyFoundationsandhasreceivedmorethan$200,000inU.S.taxdollars.148
• Theleft-wingnewsportalLaSillaVacia,149anotherOpenSocietyinitiative,alsoboastsofbeingaUSAIDgrantee.Itscolumnist,RodrigoUprimny,150whoseNGODeJusticia151alsopartnerswithUSAIDandOpenSociety,isconsideredoneofthearchitectsofthepeacedeal.
• FormerNationalLiberationArmyterroristLeonValencia152—OpenSocietycollaboratorandgrantee—hasreceivedatleast$1,000,000inUSAIDfundingthroughhisNGOsCorporacionNuevoArcoIrisandPazyReconciliacion,andleft-
143Fowler,Lia,“HowSorosUsedUSTaxDollarstoConsolidatePowerinColombia,”DailySignal,April12,2017.(https://www.dailysignal.com/2017/04/12/how-soros-used-us-tax-dollars-to-consolidate-power-in-colombia/).144OpenSocietyFoundation.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/press-releases/award-winning-reporter-lead-open-society-s-work-independent-journalism).145VerdadAbierta.(https://verdadabierta.com).146VerdadAbierta,“Wardrivestheclashingfactionsinsane,”December9,2009,(https://verdadabierta.com/war-drives-the-clashing-factions-insane/).147IdeasparaLaPaz,(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/press-releases/osi-grantee-honored-new-media-excellence).148USAID,ForeignAidExplorer,Colombia.(https://explorer.usaid.gov/query?country_name=Colombia&fiscal_year=2015&transaction_type_name=Obligations)149OpenSocietyFoundations.(https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/about/programs/open-society-fellowship/grantees/juanita-leon).150Segura,HugoGarciaandJuanDavidLaverdePalma,“Losarquitectosdelacuerdo,”ElEspectador,September26,2015.(https://www.elespectador.com/noticias/politica/los-arquitectos-del-acuerdo-articulo-588936).151DeJusticia.(https://www.dejusticia.org/en/).152Melo,RicardoPuentes,“LeónValencia,ElSecuestradorHumanitario,”PeriodismosinFronteras,September19,2011.(http://www.periodismosinfronteras.org/leon-valencia-el-secuestrador-humanitario.html).
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wingnewsportalLasDosOrillas153,whichheco-founded.In2016,Soros’OpenSocietyFoundationsgavemorethan$3.3millionto
organizationsoperatinginColombia.SeveralofthoseorganizationshavealsobeenfinanciallysupportedbytheUnitedStatesgovernment,havingreceivedmorethan$5millionfromtheDepartmentofState,USAID,andtheInter-AmericanFoundation(afederalagency)inrecentyears.OneoftheSoros/OSFfundedentities,anLGBTadvocacyorganization,wasalsoselectedbytheInter-AmericanFoundationasapartnerorganizationinitsColombiapeaceprojectinitiative.154Conclusion
WhyareU.S.taxpayersfundingbillionaire“philanthropist”GeorgeSorosandhis
highlypoliticizedOpenSocietyFoundations? ThisreporthasdocumentedanddetailedmillionsofU.S.taxpayerdollarsbeingspentaroundtheworldtosupporttheradicalleftistgoalsoftheGeorgeSoros“OpenSociety”networks. TheAmericanpublicisowedaccountabilityforhowitstaxesarespentbygovernmentagencies.JudicialWatch’sinvestigationsandlawsuitswillcontinue.
153LasDosOrillas.(https://www.las2orillas.co/quienes-somos/).154Inter-AmericanFoundationColombiaPeaceProjectInitiative.(https://www.iaf.gov/colombia-peace-initiative/).