Letter to Secretary Tillerson requests comprehensive review of how taxpayer dollars are utilized abroad
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and five Senate colleagues wrote a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson requesting an investigation of U.S. funds associated with promoting democracy and governance outside of the U.S. Recent troubling reports indicate that U.S. entities, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), have disbursed taxpayer funds to shape the judiciary, civil society, and political landscape of foreign countries to the benefit of left-leaning political groups at the expense of U.S. national interests. Of special concern are reports of funds going from USAID to organizations affiliated with George Soros-backed Open Society Foundations.
“It is deeply disturbing that USAID and other U.S. government agencies may be involved in disbursing taxpayer funds to extreme political groups working to force change in foreign countries in ways that are at odds with U.S. national interests and potentially harmful to U.S. relations with those nations and the stability of their governments,” Sen. Cruz said. “Specifically, Macedonia and Albania are two countries whose political development the U.S. is keen on supporting, and I am especially concerned about USAID funds going to organizations in those countries that are financed by left-wing radical George Soros. The U.S. should not be sending money to organizations that may be working under the guise of promoting legal or political reform, while actually undermining judicial independence, the rule of law, political representation by right-of-center groups, and good relations with the U.S. I hope that Secretary Tillerson will treat this matter with urgency and conduct a comprehensive review to ensure that American taxpayers are not funding a radical agenda overseas.”
The full letter may be viewed here.