ANCA calls for Justice Department investigation into Dr. Oz`s Turkey  Ties 

ArmInfo. The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has called for a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet  Oz, amid growing alarm over Oz's links to Turkey's dictator Recep  Erdogan, his dual Turkey - U.S.  citizenship, and open association  with Armenian Genocide deniers.

 With the hotly contested May 17 Republican primary just days away, the ANC of Pennsylvania is expanding its grassroots campaign to ensure voters are making  informed choices at the ballot box.  

In a May 3 letter to the Department of Justice, ANCA Executive  Director Aram Hamparian expressed concern that Oz may be in violation  of the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) of 1938 for his  endorsement agreement with Istanbul-based Turkish Airlines, through  which Oz provides "consulting services, certain media, and in-flight  film appearances."  FARA requires the registration of, and  disclosures by, an "agent of a foreign principal" who, either  directly or through another person, within the United States, (1)  engages in "political activities" on behalf of a foreign principal;  (2) acts as a foreign principal's public relations counsel, publicity  agent, information-service employee, or political consultant; (3)  solicits, collects, disburses, or dispenses contributions, loans,  money, or other things of value for or in the interest of a foreign  principal; or (4) represents the interests of the foreign principal  before any agency or official of the U.S. government.  In addition,  FARA requires agents to conspicuously label "informational materials"  transmitted in the United States for or in the interest of a foreign   principal." 

A "foreign principal" can be a foreign government, a foreign  political party, any person outside the United States (except U.S.  citizens who are domiciled within the United States), and any entity  organized under the laws of a foreign country or having its principal  place of business in a foreign country.  "Turkish Airlines is 49.13%  owned by the Turkish Government.  FARA filings show that Turkish  Airlines has been a foreign principal since at least 1975 and as  recently as 2015," asserted Hamparian.  

Former U.S. Justice Department FARA unit official David Laufman told  The New York Post that an investigation into the matter is warranted.   "I think it would be appropriate for [the Justice Department] to  undertake logical, analytical, and investigative steps to determine  whether Dr. Oz acted as a public relations counsel or publicity agent  in the United States on behalf of Turkish Airlines," Laufman  explained. "If he did, he likely would have an obligation to register  unless he qualified for an exemption." 

Hamparian outlined the full range of broader national security and  Armenian American community concerns in an op/ed in "The Washington  Times". "For Americans of Armenian heritage - having spent the better  part of the past century working, successfully, to end U.S. cover-ups  of Turkey's genocidal crimes - it would represent a betrayal of the  worst kind, a shameful rollback of America's commitment to human  rights, to send to the U.S. Senate an ally of Erdogan, the world's  foremost Armenian Genocide denier," explained Hamparian.  

He cited American Enterprise Institute's Michael Rubin, who has  argued that "Oz's dual citizenship - and his reluctance to renounce  Turkish citizenship - will keep the FBI and security managers up at  night," adding that it's "fair game to question Oz's judgment  embracing the most reactionary elements in Turkish society." 

In an interview with Breitbart News, Hamparian argued "that Mehmet  Oz's ties to Turkey put him "at odds" with putting the interests of  Pennsylvanians and Americans first." ANC of Pennsylvania Runs  Grassroots Voter Awareness Campaign 

With the Pennsylvania Senate Republican primary just days away on May  17th, the latest polling shows Mehmet Oz is running neck and neck  against Kathy Barnette and David McCormick in the tight seven-  candidate race.  The ANC of Pennsylvania has ramped up its statewide  grassroots campaign to ensure voters know the truth about Oz's ties  to the Turkish government and Erdogan-aligned stakeholders and are  able to make informed choices at the ballot box.  

"The ANC of Pennsylvania has expressed its concerns over Oz's  candidacy from the very beginning.  Deeper ties to the Turkish  government and its interests are uncovered every day.  Pennsylvanians  deserve a Senator who will represent our interests - not those of  dictator Recep Erdogan," explained ANC of Pennsylvania Co-Chair Nora  Kzirian.  

Last month, fellow ANC Pennsylvania Co-Chair Karine Shamlian told NBC  News, "We have Armenians that are Republicans, Armenians that are  Democrats, but when it comes down to things that affect the Armenian  community and the Armenian diaspora, we rally regardless of the  political party. We feel that this Senate seat is in jeopardy of  being controlled by a foreign government, quite honestly."