Ft Wayne Times

Reps. Jim Banks, Elise Stefanik, and Michael Waltz have written a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, urging the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether the International Crisis Group (ICG), a non-governmental organization based in Brussels, acted as an unregistered agent for the government of Iran. The representatives are concerned about the group's undisclosed partnerships with Iran's Foreign Ministry and its potential influence on U.S. policy towards Iran.

In their letter, Rep. Banks expressed his disbelief at the situation, stating, "Joe Biden's disgraced former Iran envoy ran a foreign think tank that had entered into an undisclosed formal agreement with an Iranian government organization which denies the Holocaust." He further highlighted the troubling fact that members of this think tank were advising Democratic administrations on Iran policy while pledging allegiance to Iran. Rep. Banks called on the Justice Department to hold the International Crisis Group accountable for failing to register as a foreign agent, and for Congress to continue investigating Iran's infiltration of the Biden administration and its influence on White House policy.

House Conference Chair Elise Stefanik supported the call for an investigation, emphasizing the need to examine the depth of Crisis Group employees' involvement in advocating for the Iranian regime while simultaneously trying to influence Biden Administration officials. She urged the DOJ to take immediate action, as she believes the group's failure to register their formal agreement with Iran is a clear violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

The representatives' concerns are supported by a recent report from Semafor, which revealed the previously undisclosed partnerships between the ICG and Iran's Foreign Ministry in 2016. This revelation raises questions about the group's motives and its attempts to shape U.S. policy on Iran. It is worth noting that the former president of ICG, Rob Malley, who is now part of the Biden administration, has been under scrutiny for his involvement with the organization.

As Reps. Banks, Stefanik, and Waltz seek a thorough investigation into the International Crisis Group's potential role as an unregistered agent for the Iranian government, they hope that the U.S. Department of Justice will take the necessary steps to hold the group accountable for any violations. The representatives' letter serves as a call for transparency and a reminder of the importance of safeguarding U.S. national security.