TURKISH COALITION OF AMERICA

TCA EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH TO CONGRESS AIMS TO ENHANCE UNDERSTANDING AND THE IMPORTANCE OF US-TURKEY RELATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, TCA EDUCATES MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ON THE CONCERNS OF THE TURKISH AMERICAN COMMUNITY. IN DOING SO, TCA OFFICIALS PAY VISITS TO INDIVIDUAL CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES AND ATTEND CONGRESSIONAL MEETINGS. TCA ALSO ORGANIZES PROGRAMS FOR LOCAL TURKISH AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE TO HAVE CONTINUOUS DIALOGUE WITH THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS IN ORDER TO INFORM THEM ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS AND ISSUES. TCA IN THE PAST HAS SPONSORED AND ORGANIZED CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATIONS AND OTHER GROUP VISITS TO TURKEY PROVIDING A WELL BALANCED PROGRAM THAT INCLUDED HIGH LEVEL GOVERNMENTAL, BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL MEETINGS AS WELL AS PROVIDING CULTURAL ASPECTS OF TURKEY. TCA SPONSORED TRIPS TO TURKEY HAVE BEEN TEMPORARILY PUT ON HOLD DUE TO SECURITY CONCERNS FROM TERRORISM AND THE UNCERTAINTIES RESULTING FROM THE ATTEMPTED COUP IN 2016. TCA HOPES TO RESUME THE SPONSORSHIP AND ORGANIZATION OF SUCH TRIPS IN THE NOT TOO FAR FUTURE. THE LEGAL EXPENSES OF THE ORGANIZATION ARE DIVISIBLE INTO THREE MAIN AREAS: (1) ORDINARY LEGAL EXPENSES RELATED TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION, (2) FEES FOR CASES EVALUATED BY THE TURKISH AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE FUND (TALDF), WHICH IS A PROJECT OF THE ORGANIZATION, AND (3) FEES RELATED TO THE INVESTIGATION OF AN APPARENT CRIMINAL AND CIVIL CONSPIRACY TO HARM THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS SOLE DIRECTOR. REGARDING TALDF, UNLIKE IN YEARS PAST, THE PROJECT DID NOT ACCEPT ANY LITIGATION MATTERS IN 2018. HOWEVER, IT DID PROVIDE LEGAL ANALYSES TO THE ORGANIZATION OF TWO PIECES OF STATE LEGISLATION, ONE IN TEXAS AND ONE IN CALIFORNIA. IT ALSO EVALUATED SEVERAL MATTERS FOR LITIGATION AND REPORTED ON THEM TO THE ORGANIZATION'S OFFICERS, AFTER WHICH THE ORGANIZATION DETERMINED NOT TO FUND THE CASES. REGARDING THE INVESTIGATION, THE DIRECTOR OF THE ORGANIZATION WAS SUED IN TURKEY IN A MATTER ALLEGING LINKS TO A GROUP CURRENTLY BANNED UNDER TURKISH LAW. THE PLAINTIFF IN THAT MATTER ISSUED PUBLIC STATEMENTS AGAINST THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS DIRECTOR. HE ALSO SEEDED DEFAMATORY NEWSPAPER ARTICLES WITH FALSE ALLEGATIONS THAT THE ORGANIZATION WAS CONNECTED TO THE BANNED TURKISH GROUP. THE INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE ORGANIZATION WAS BEING DIRECTLY TARGETED AS PART OF A CONSPIRACY BY SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS IN THE UNITED STATES AND TURKEY. THE AMERICAN MEMBERS OF THE CONSPIRACY HAVE SINCE BEEN INDICTED BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR FRAUD. THAT CASE IS ENTITLED, UNITED STATES V. JACOB KINGSTON, CASE NO. 2:18-CR-00365-JNP-BCW, U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF UTAH (INDICTMENT DATE AUGUST 1, 2018). TWO AMERICAN CONSPIRACY MEMBERS HAVE PLEADED GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES. ANOTHER IS DUE TO BE TRIED IN JANUARY 2020. THE TURKISH INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS THE INITIAL PLAINTIFF AGAINST THE ORGANIZATION'S DIRECTOR IS TREATED AS AN UNINDICTED COCONSPIORATOR BY THE UNITED STATES IN THIS CRIMINAL MATTER. BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION AND INCORPORATING INFORMATION REVEALED IN THE U.S. CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS, A CIVIL RICO LAWSUIT HAS BEEN PREPARED AND FILED IN U.S. FEDERAL COURT, WHICH DESCRIBES HOW THE ORGANIZATION WAS TARGETED AND VICTIMIZED BY THE CONSPIRACY. THIS CASE IS ENTITLED, AYASLI ET AL. V. KORKMAZ ET AL., U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, CASE NO. 1:19-CV-00183-JL. AMONG THE MANY LOSSES SUFFERED BY THE ORGNIZATION WAS THE CLOSURE OF ITS ISTANBUL OFFICE UNDER THREAT OF VIOLENCE. THE ORGANIZATION IS EXPENDING FUNDS ON COUNSEL TO MAINTAIN ITS POSITION IN AND TO TRACK THESE MATTERS, INCLUDING CONDUCTING FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND ENSURING THAT PLEADINGS IN THE CIVIL RICO MATTER PROPERLY DESCRIBE ITS ACTIONS AND LOSSES. COUNSEL ALSO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE ALL POSSIBLE METHODS OF PRESERVING THE DIRECTOR'S REPUTATION AND THAT OF THE ORGANIZATION INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LITIGATION IN THE U.S. AND TURKEY. COUNSEL HAVE ALSO MET WITH PROSECUTORS IN THE U.S. REGARDING THREATS AND ELECTRONIC HARASSMENT AGAINST THE DIRECTOR.