{"id":1517,"date":"2015-06-11T13:07:30","date_gmt":"2015-06-11T13:07:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/covcasbulletin.info\/?p=1517"},"modified":"2015-06-12T13:09:38","modified_gmt":"2015-06-12T13:09:38","slug":"how-azerbaijan-and-its-lobbyists-spin-congress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/covcasbulletin.info\/?p=1517","title":{"rendered":"How Azerbaijan and Its Lobbyists Spin Congress"},"content":{"rendered":"

By ILYA LOZOVSKY*
\nForeign Policy, Democracy Lab<\/em><\/p>\n

The Aliyev regime is selling itself in Washington as friendly and progressive. Is your Congressman buying it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cHowever life turns out \u2014 the hardest part is I can\u2019t see you. And this is our 37th year together.\u201d So ends a letter<\/a> from Azerbaijani political prisoner Leyla Yunus to her husband Arif, also imprisoned by his country\u2019s increasingly thin-skinned authoritarian government. The Yunuses were arrested nearly a year ago and have not been allowed to see each other since. The charges leveled against them \u2014 high treason, espionage, fraud \u2014 are patently absurd<\/a>. Leyla Yunus is one of the country\u2019s best-known human rights activists and a relentless critic of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his corrupt regime<\/a>. She is also a tireless advocate for the country\u2019s other political prisoners<\/a>, who add up to twice as many \u2014 according to a detailed open letter<\/a> signed by a plethora of human rights organizations, academics, and regional experts \u2014 as Belarus and Russia combined.<\/p>\n

\"Ilham<\/a>
Ilham Aliyev<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For years, Azerbaijan has papered over its dismal human rights record by presenting itself to the United States as a loyal partner in the \u201cwar on terror,\u201d a stalwart friend to Israel, and an important energy supplier. In addition to traditional diplomacy, it has advanced these messages through aggressive lobbying<\/a> in the think-tank world<\/a>, in state legislatures<\/a>, and in the halls of Congress. Mandatory filings by the Azerbaijan government and its U.S. lobbyists reveal that, in total, it and its proxies spent at least $4 million to this end in 2014 alone. (In 2013, when Azerbaijan spent only $2.3 million, it was still among the top 10<\/a> foreign governments buying influence in Washington, according to the Sunlight Foundation.) This February, the Azerbaijani embassy increased the monthly retainer of its main lobbyist, the Podesta Group<\/a>, from $50,000 to $75,000. The Podesta Group\u2019s filings reveal hundreds of contacts with congressional offices, executive branch agencies, members of the media, and think tanks.<\/p>\n

None of the disclosed spending is illegal, and many foreign governments \u2014 including liberal democracies \u2014 buy influence<\/a> in Washington. But what the Azerbaijanis and their lobbyists have been able to achieve in the halls of Congress is striking \u2014 especially considering the true nature of the regime.<\/p>\n

On January 21, Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas) praised<\/a> Azerbaijan for its \u201cclose and important relationship\u201d with the United States, and described it as a \u201cbeacon of democracy.\u201d In February, Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) said<\/a> that Azerbaijan and the United States \u201cshare the same commitment to freedom and liberty,\u201d Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.) lauded<\/a> Azerbaijan\u2019s \u201ccommitment to the ideals of democracy,\u201d Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) said<\/a> the country was a \u201creliable friend and valuable ally,\u201d and Rep. Pete Olson (R-Texas) called<\/a> it a close ally of Israel and a \u201creliable partner.\u201d Needless to say, no mention was made, in any of these statements, of the Aliyev regime\u2019s well-documented abuses of its own citizens.<\/p>\n

These are public statements made on the floor of Congress \u2014 but a large fraction of this kind of rhetoric takes place at private functions. A congressional staffer who wished to remain anonymous described receptions<\/a> organized by pro-regime groups, such as the Azerbaijan America Alliance<\/a>, where up to 20 members of Congress at a time would \u201cline up at the podium\u201d waiting for their turn to praise Azerbaijan for its economic successes, its partnership with the United States, and its friendship with Israel. The events were remarkable, the staffer said, for how many members attended and for the uniformity of their comments, suggesting that they were being fed their lines by lobbyists or pro-regime organizations. Though there are no publicly available transcripts of what is said at such affairs, regime-affiliated groups like to boast<\/a> of the glowing testimonials the regime receives from U.S. officials \u2014 and it makes for nauseating read.<\/p>\n

The Azerbaijan America Alliance is run by Anar Mammadov, the son of the country\u2019s transportation minister, notorious<\/a> for his corrupt dealings and outrageous exploits. His reputation, however, hasn\u2019t prevented Dan Burton, a former House member from Indiana, from working for him as the Alliance\u2019s chairman<\/a>, praising the Azeri government in print<\/a>, and giving remarks<\/a> at celebrations of the former President\u2019s birthday (thinly disguised<\/a> as a faux \u201cnational holiday\u201d). The Alliance is also closely involved with the House\u2019s Azerbaijan Caucus, a group of over 60 legislators<\/a> it considers friendly<\/a>. In May, the Washington Post<\/em> published a damning expos\u00e9<\/a> of an all-expenses-paid trip ten members of Congress took to Azerbaijan in 2013. The trip was secretly funded by SOCAR, the country\u2019s state-run oil company. Of the ten members who went on the trip<\/a>, eight are members of the Azerbaijan Caucus. Neither of the caucus\u2019s co-chairs \u2014 Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) \u2014 responded to requests for comment.<\/p>\n

Emin Milli, an Azerbaijani activist who spent 17 months in prison on trumped-up charges, recently visited the United States to accept a prestigious press freedom award<\/a> on behalf of his friend Khadija Ismayilova<\/a>, Azerbaijan\u2019s premier independent journalist, who is now also behind bars. When I asked him what difference it made if U.S. members of Congress praised the regime, he could barely contain his fury: \u201cThe effect is devastating,\u201d he said, \u201cbecause you have democratically-elected representatives confirming the legitimacy of a mafia. The legitimacy of thugs. The legitimacy of a group of people who kill, torture, and put people in jail just for expressing their opinion.\u201d Milli pointed out that brittle, self-conscious authoritarian regimes always welcome signs of legitimacy from abroad: \u201cIf one congressman writes a letter or says something positive about Aliyev or his regime,\u201d he said, \u201cthey show it on TV 20 times a day.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s striking is that the positive sentiments extended to Azerbaijan by its friends on the Hill aren\u2019t reciprocated by the government in Baku. In December 2014, the head of Aliyev\u2019s administration penned a vicious (and distinctly Putin-esque) anti-American screed<\/a>, accusing Washington of fomenting revolution under the pretext of promoting democracy. This, says former U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Kauzlarich, was meant as a deliberate message: \u201cYou need us more than we need you.\u201d The letter has been accompanied by a relentless anti-American campaign<\/a> in the state-run media, a series<\/a> of hostile<\/a> statements<\/a> by senior officials, and crackdowns on organizations funded by the U.S. government, like Radio Free Europe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Milli highlights the absurdity of U.S. members of Congress praising a regime whose pliant media spares no breath fomenting anti-U.S. sentiment amongst its people: \u201cEvery day on TV, from nine in the morning till late in the evening, they say John Kerry has left all his other business and spends the entire day trying to destroy Azerbaijan. So I want to ask all those people in Congress: Is this the great regime you\u2019re praising? Is this your great ally?\u201d<\/p>\n

Aside from generally bolstering its image, there are at least two specific reasons why the government in Baku is so keen to build support in Congress. One is to create a counterweight against its sworn enemies, the Armenians, who have a powerful lobby<\/a> of their own. The other is to ward off burgeoning efforts by the human rights community to press for sanctions against key regime individuals. David Kramer, former president of Freedom House \u2014 and a high-profile proponent of the Magnitsky Act<\/a>, which placed sanctions on Russian officials who committed human rights violations \u2014 speculated that a similar push might eventually succeed against Azerbaijan. Once talk of sanctions gains steam, he said, the regime \u201ccan say [to friendly legislators]: You were with us back then; we hope we can count on you now.\u201d Judging by the inroads the lobby has made so far, this is a disquieting possibility.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, Azerbaijan\u2019s key lobbyist, the Podesta Group, is not above crossing ethical lines to try to tilt the climate on the Hill in favor of its client. In February, Maran Turner, executive director of the rights organization Freedom Now<\/a>, organized a briefing to inform Capitol Hill staffers about Azerbaijan\u2019s political prisoners. As the briefing approached, Turner says, she heard from invitees that the Podesta Group had called \u201cevery single office\u201d to convince them not to attend. Podesta also contacted staffers of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, under whose auspices the briefing was being held, and asked them to cancel it. Though the briefing went ahead, only a few staffers ended up attending (though over a dozen had RSVP\u2019d). Turner doesn\u2019t know whether Podesta pressure was responsible for the poor showing, but expressed outrage that an American lobbying firm would attempt to prevent members of Congress from hearing about a foreign country\u2019s human rights record.<\/p>\n

But Podesta wasn\u2019t done yet. Among the briefing\u2019s few attendees, Turner says, was Katelyn Wohlford, an expensively-attired young woman who presented herself as a graduate student studying Azerbaijan. Her appearance immediately aroused suspicion, as the briefing was not open to the public \u2014 and though Wohlford asked no questions, she took copious notes. Afterward, Turner found Wohlford\u2019s profile<\/a> on the Podesta web site, describing her as \u201can associate working on the Podesta Group\u2019s public relations and international teams.\u201d<\/p>\n

This version of events was confirmed by several other attendees. Wohlford did not respond to requests for comment, and a Podesta representative referred me to the Azerbaijani embassy, which also did not reply. Turner doesn\u2019t know for sure what Wohlford did with her notes, but strongly suspects they were handed over to the Azeris. Indeed, several weeks later, Turner was told by Azerbaijan\u2019s delegation to the United Nations in New York that they were \u201cfully informed\u201d about her organization and its efforts to organize the briefing. If Wohlford was indeed the source of this information, the implication is that the Podesta Group is providing details of closed congressional briefings to representatives of a dictatorial regime.<\/p>\n

This week, Azerbaijan is hosting<\/a> the first European Games, a major new international sporting event it\u2019s promoting<\/a> with gusto. Such glittery spectacles \u2014 like the Eurovision contest<\/a> in 2012 and the Formula 1 Grand Prix<\/a> next year \u2014 are meant to showcase the country as a modern, developed member of the international community. To make sure this message isn\u2019t marred by inconvenient references to political prisoners, the government barred both Amnesty International<\/a> and the Guardian<\/a><\/em> from entering at the last minute. And just last week, a new FARA filing<\/a> by the Podesta Group revealed that it will be providing one month of additional advice to Azerbaijan about its \u201conline engagements.\u201d Maran Turner of Freedom Now speculates that this is intended to counteract the negative press<\/a> Azerbaijan is receiving in the run-up to the games. So if you see any trending stories about how America\u2019s best friend in the Caucasus is making a name for itself in sport, treat them with appropriate skepticism \u2014 and remind your congressmen and women to do the same.<\/p>\n

The photo shows Azerbaijan\u2019s president, Ilham Aliyev, at a meeting in Germany\u00a0this January.<\/span>
\nPhoto credit:\u00a0Sean Gallup\/Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

* Ilya Lozovsky is assistant editor of Democracy Lab. Prior to joining Foreign Policy, he worked as Program Officer for Eurasia at Freedom House, providing emergency support to human rights activists and organizations across that continent. He has written for CNN\u2019s Global Public Square and has translated and edited articles by Russian journalists for The New Republic. Ilya was born in Moscow and emigrated to the U.S. in the last days of the Soviet Union, settling and growing up in the Boston area. He speaks fluent Russian and German and holds an MA in political development from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By ILYA LOZOVSKY* Foreign Policy, Democracy Lab The Aliyev regime is selling itself in Washington as friendly and progressive. Is your Congressman buying it? \u201cHowever [more >>>]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1519,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,7,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1517","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-region","category-azerbaijan","category-azerbaijan-human-rights"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/covcasbulletin.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1517","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/covcasbulletin.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/covcasbulletin.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/covcasbulletin.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/covcasbulletin.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1517"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/covcasbulletin.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1517\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1521,"href":"https:\/\/covcasbulletin.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1517\/revisions\/1521"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/covcasbulletin.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/covcasbulletin.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/covcasbulletin.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}