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U.S. NEWS Monday 13 June 2022
Brookings president resigns amid FBI foreign lobbying probe

By ALAN SUDERMAN and bers of Congress, the FBI's
JIM MUSTIAN affidavit says.
Associated Press The federal investigation
The president of the Brook- involving Allen has already
ings Institution resigned ensnared Richard G. Olson,
Sunday amid a federal in- a former ambassador to
vestigation into whether he the United Arab Emirates
illegally lobbied on behalf and Pakistan who pleaded
of the wealthy Persian Gulf guilty to federal charges
nation of Qatar. earlier this month, and
Retired Gen. John Allen Imaad Zuberi, a prolific po-
wrote in a letter to the think litical donor now serving a
tank that he was leaving 12-year prison sentence on
with a "heavy heart" but did corruption charges. Several
not offer a direct explana- members of Congress have
tion. also been interviewed.
"I know it is best for all con- Brookings, one of the most
cerned in this moment," Al- prestigious think thanks in
len's letter said. the U.S., had initially hired
A retired four-star Marine Allen as a senior fellow be-
general who led U.S. and fore tapping him as presi-
NATO forces in Afghani- dent in late 2017 and pay-
stan, Allen's announce- ing him more than $1 mil-
ment came less than a lion a year, according to
week after the Associated recent tax records.
Press was first to report "The integrity and objectivi-
on new court filings that ty of Brookings's scholarship
showed the FBI had seized constitute the institution's
Allen's electronic data as In this Feb. 25, 2015, file photo, retired Gen. John Allen testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, be- principal assets, and Brook-
part of the lobbying probe. fore the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to examine the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq ings seeks to maintain high
Allen has not been and Syria. ethical standards in all its
charged with any crimes Associated Press operations," the think tank
and, through a spokesman, said in its statement Sun-
has denied any wrongdo- tributions. The institution gas-rich Persian Gulf mon- ing" documents. day. Qatar has long been
ing. said information about the archy and its neighbors. Allen's alleged lobbying a major financial backer of
Brookings, which had put search for a new president An FBI agent said in an affi- work involved traveling to Brookings, though Allen de-
Allen on administrative would be forthcoming. davit in support of a search Qatar and meeting with cided in 2019 to stop taking
leave the day after the The new court filings detail warrant there was "substan- the country's top officials to any new donations from
AP's initial report, issued a Allen's behind-the scenes tial evidence" that Allen offer them advice on how the country.
statement thanking Allen efforts to help Qatar influ- had knowingly broken a to influence U.S. policy, as Qatari officials have not
for guiding the think tank ence U.S. policy in June foreign lobbying law, and well as promoting Qatar's responded to requests for
through the coronavirus 2017 when a diplomatic had made false statements point of view to top White comment about the Allen
pandemic and other con- crisis erupted between the and withheld "incriminat- House officials and mem- investigation.q

Rudy Giuliani faces ethics charges over Trump election role

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rudy made in supporting a Trump to respond, according to
Giuliani, one of Donald campaign lawsuit seek- the filing. An attempt Sat-
Trump's primary lawyers ing to overturn the elec- urday to reach a lawyer for
during the then-president's tion results in Pennsylvania. Giuliani was unsuccessful.
failed efforts to overturn the That suit, which sought to The step is the latest against
results of the 2020 election, invalidate as many as 1.5 Giuliani for his role in Trump's
must now answer to profes- million mail-in ballots, was debunked claims that the
sional ethics charges, the dismissed by courts. 2020 presidential election
latest career slap after law The counsel's office said was fraudulent.
license suspensions in New Giuliani's conduct violated Last June, an appeals court
York and the District of Co- Pennsylvania Rules of Pro- suspended him from prac-
lumbia. fessional Conduct "in that ticing law in New York be-
The Office of Disciplinary he brought a proceeding cause he made false state-
Counsel, the disciplinary and asserted issues therein ments while trying to get
branch of the District of Co- without a non-frivolous ba- courts to overturn Trump's Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks during a
lumbia Bar, filed the charg- sis in law and fact for doing loss. An attorney disciplin- news conference June 7, 2022, in New York.
es against the former fed- so" and "that he engaged ary committee had asked Associated Press
eral prosecutor and New in conduct prejudicial to the court to suspend his li-
York mayor alleging that he the administration of jus- cense on the grounds that ily suspended him last July counsel's action follows the
promoted unsubstantiated tice." he had violated profes- although the practical im- first public hearing by the
voter fraud claims in Penn- The counsel asked that sional conduct rules as he plication of that action is House committee investi-
sylvania. The action was the D.C. Court of Appeals promoted theories that the questionable, given that gating the Capitol riot on
filed June 6 and became Board on Professional Re- election was stolen through Giuliani's law license in Jan. 6, 2021. Giuliani met
public Friday. sponsibility take up the fraud. Washington has been inac- for hours with the commit-
At issue are claims Giuliani matter. Giuliani has 20 days The D.C. Bar temporar- tive since 2002. News of the tee last month.q