The Foreign Agents Registration Act, FARA, isn’t a federal law that limits and regulates foreign political influence in the United States, though that’s what it’s supposed to be: a law requiring registration with the attorney general by “anyone who acts on behalf of a ‘foreign principal’ to, among other things, influence U.S. policy or public opinion.” Instead, by a mix of design and selective enforcement, it’s a law that punishes the politically unfashionable, and shields Americans who advance foreign causes that are favored by the political class. It punishes
See also, via a reader on Twitter, this Ukrainian page describing the Yermak-McFaul Group as a project of the Ukrainian government:
"The Group was created at the initiative of the President of Ukraine. The Group is co-chaired by the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, and the former US ambassador to Russia, Stanford University professor Michael McFaul."
Note this part, about the support of the group: "Analytical materials for the Group are provided by KSE Institute."
KSE Institute is a Ukrainian thinktank headquartered in Kyiv, so the provision of materials by KSE constitute material support for the Yermak-McFaul working group.
On a personal note, I think FARA sucks. It's constitutionally and culturally dubious, and I've written before that I thought the arrests of the "Russian agents" from dumb-as-dirt groups like Black Hammer were grossly improper arrests for speech acts.
Michael McFaul has a First Amendment right to advocate for Ukraine. But no one has a First Amendment right to advocate for Russia, somehow. That's the problem.
They’d have to charge 3/4 of congress with FARA. To me, they’re all worthless POS, so-called Americans, who’ve sold their souls to the highest bidder, satan.
The least they can do is stop saying this is a war for 'democracy'. Ukraine was a quasi-democracy before the war and a well-known vassal-state for the corrupt and criminals and it sure as hell ain't one now. Call me old fashioned but countries that have 'hit lists' for journalists (I know. So do we probably), ban opposition parties, the Church, and elections don't strike me as 'democratic'. Whatever that means anymore given we're trapped in an inverted reality vortex.
This is strictly America - and its lackeys in the West - using Ukraine to get at Russia.
I recall that some of the Antifa-members briefly arrested during the "Summer of Love" were foreign nationals, weren't they? If so, surely they should fall under FARA since Antifa definitely is a group that meets the conditions of the definition.
I think you may have missed a minor detail…you see, there are actually two FARAs…there’s the “Foreign” version, and there’s the “Friends” version.
Ukraine falls under the “Friends” version so it’s OK to represent their interests, but Russia falls under the “Foreign” version and representing their interests is definitely a no-no.
Wait a minute….when did the US change its position on the applicability of FARA when working with Ukraine? Or is it just that Paul Manafort didn’t think to form an “independent consulting firm” with his Ukrainian counterpart?
This unequal application of the law reminds me of another recent situation in the news. Now what was that? Scratches head. Oh yes, something about the unauthorized taking and retaining of classified documents. Can’t charge one of the individuals as their current mental and physical state (“a well meaning elderly man with a poor memory”) would be viewed with sympathy by a jury.
“Head of Ukraine’s reconstruction agency Mustafa Nayyem…”
I think your concerns are entirely misplaced – positions like this (unilaterally dispensing untold billions to connected contractors) are historically free of any corruption. NYC construction and Iraqi reconstruction are classic examples.
Our justice system is pure as the wind driven snow. Just ask 'em.
The recent Trump fine of $350 some MILLION dollars has turned my beak back towards some anarchistic-ish views. How about all bodies of law/policy enacting capacity from school boards to the Congress and includes all administrative state executive branch edicts are held in their chambers until they return with a 95% reduction in laws/rules/policies.
I think it was in a Jack Carr novel, or in a podcast I heard him speak, but it was essentially that every American is guilty of committing felonies nearly every day. It was plural.
I think the scariest possible extension of Chris's example here is if we combine this with arcane, useless, old blue laws/policies/regulations--but with Trump, we also see that no victim needs to be present, no negative outcome for any party--means that the Snow White justice system can do to all of Red America exactly what they've done to J6 people. Kristallnacht American Style. A quick turn of the switch.
Man--ever since Sunday night when I learned of Aaron Bushnell--I have been a bit off balance, and this continued evidence of a sideways world isn't helping me stop the world from spinning.
I came home from a yin yoga class--as relaxed & centered as I can be--and I saw a photo and quick clip on X.
It was like I fell into a frozen lake at night. I don't know why that imagery hit me so powerfully, nor why it feels deep in my solar plexus that this act portends much worse, much scarier than I may be ready for.
Control the controllables. Do the small actionable things right in front of me. Start with taking the trash around, gets picked up tomorrow.
We are going to need to take care of each other. We need to push in. We better meet our neighbors. Build a community garden. (I'm really pushing for this in our neighborhood this year). Touch grass. Shake hands. Remember first names. Build community. Even if you live surrounded by blue.
Most of them are not nefarious, they are 1-2 issue voters and way way way too busy to pay attention to politics. Almost no one, except for maybe the Substack crowd across the political spectrum, spends any great deal of time thinking about politics or why they vote for who.
Now, if your neighbor is the local NEA leader or leading trans surgeon or one of these ideologue -- you may want to leave them to their own devices...the true believers, the passionate advocates--I think they may be sociopathic and not good inside the tribe. That is why we created cops.
See also, via a reader on Twitter, this Ukrainian page describing the Yermak-McFaul Group as a project of the Ukrainian government:
"The Group was created at the initiative of the President of Ukraine. The Group is co-chaired by the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, and the former US ambassador to Russia, Stanford University professor Michael McFaul."
https://sanctions.kse.ua/en/yermak-mcfaul-group/
Note this part, about the support of the group: "Analytical materials for the Group are provided by KSE Institute."
KSE Institute is a Ukrainian thinktank headquartered in Kyiv, so the provision of materials by KSE constitute material support for the Yermak-McFaul working group.
https://kse.ua/kse-department/kse-institute/
Via:
https://twitter.com/ncman4241/status/1762616709742047500
On a personal note, I think FARA sucks. It's constitutionally and culturally dubious, and I've written before that I thought the arrests of the "Russian agents" from dumb-as-dirt groups like Black Hammer were grossly improper arrests for speech acts.
https://chrisbray.substack.com/p/fill-out-your-form-before-you-have
Michael McFaul has a First Amendment right to advocate for Ukraine. But no one has a First Amendment right to advocate for Russia, somehow. That's the problem.
They’d have to charge 3/4 of congress with FARA. To me, they’re all worthless POS, so-called Americans, who’ve sold their souls to the highest bidder, satan.
The least they can do is stop saying this is a war for 'democracy'. Ukraine was a quasi-democracy before the war and a well-known vassal-state for the corrupt and criminals and it sure as hell ain't one now. Call me old fashioned but countries that have 'hit lists' for journalists (I know. So do we probably), ban opposition parties, the Church, and elections don't strike me as 'democratic'. Whatever that means anymore given we're trapped in an inverted reality vortex.
This is strictly America - and its lackeys in the West - using Ukraine to get at Russia.
the globalists don't recognize nations, or laws for that matter, unless they need them for their narrative purposes. Excellent example.
Ukraine--good! Russia--bad! And that's all you need to know.
Very educational and informative.
I recall that some of the Antifa-members briefly arrested during the "Summer of Love" were foreign nationals, weren't they? If so, surely they should fall under FARA since Antifa definitely is a group that meets the conditions of the definition.
You won't get any answers.
It's a giant money laundering op.
And people are DYING to enrich these scumbags.
I think you may have missed a minor detail…you see, there are actually two FARAs…there’s the “Foreign” version, and there’s the “Friends” version.
Ukraine falls under the “Friends” version so it’s OK to represent their interests, but Russia falls under the “Foreign” version and representing their interests is definitely a no-no.
Wait a minute….when did the US change its position on the applicability of FARA when working with Ukraine? Or is it just that Paul Manafort didn’t think to form an “independent consulting firm” with his Ukrainian counterpart?
This unequal application of the law reminds me of another recent situation in the news. Now what was that? Scratches head. Oh yes, something about the unauthorized taking and retaining of classified documents. Can’t charge one of the individuals as their current mental and physical state (“a well meaning elderly man with a poor memory”) would be viewed with sympathy by a jury.
It's reached the point where I react to government acronyms the way I react to pipe bombs.
A crystal clear example of “Rules for thee, but not for me” in action.
The “thee” and “me” parts are constantly shifting ground, according to who they wish to promote, or target and ensnare, naturally.
“Head of Ukraine’s reconstruction agency Mustafa Nayyem…”
I think your concerns are entirely misplaced – positions like this (unilaterally dispensing untold billions to connected contractors) are historically free of any corruption. NYC construction and Iraqi reconstruction are classic examples.
Peripheral point: When did Democrats start believing in trickle down economics regarding how Ukraine aid is spent (“it goes into our economy!”)?
Our justice system is pure as the wind driven snow. Just ask 'em.
The recent Trump fine of $350 some MILLION dollars has turned my beak back towards some anarchistic-ish views. How about all bodies of law/policy enacting capacity from school boards to the Congress and includes all administrative state executive branch edicts are held in their chambers until they return with a 95% reduction in laws/rules/policies.
I think it was in a Jack Carr novel, or in a podcast I heard him speak, but it was essentially that every American is guilty of committing felonies nearly every day. It was plural.
I think the scariest possible extension of Chris's example here is if we combine this with arcane, useless, old blue laws/policies/regulations--but with Trump, we also see that no victim needs to be present, no negative outcome for any party--means that the Snow White justice system can do to all of Red America exactly what they've done to J6 people. Kristallnacht American Style. A quick turn of the switch.
Man--ever since Sunday night when I learned of Aaron Bushnell--I have been a bit off balance, and this continued evidence of a sideways world isn't helping me stop the world from spinning.
I came home from a yin yoga class--as relaxed & centered as I can be--and I saw a photo and quick clip on X.
It was like I fell into a frozen lake at night. I don't know why that imagery hit me so powerfully, nor why it feels deep in my solar plexus that this act portends much worse, much scarier than I may be ready for.
Control the controllables. Do the small actionable things right in front of me. Start with taking the trash around, gets picked up tomorrow.
We are going to need to take care of each other. We need to push in. We better meet our neighbors. Build a community garden. (I'm really pushing for this in our neighborhood this year). Touch grass. Shake hands. Remember first names. Build community. Even if you live surrounded by blue.
Most of them are not nefarious, they are 1-2 issue voters and way way way too busy to pay attention to politics. Almost no one, except for maybe the Substack crowd across the political spectrum, spends any great deal of time thinking about politics or why they vote for who.
Now, if your neighbor is the local NEA leader or leading trans surgeon or one of these ideologue -- you may want to leave them to their own devices...the true believers, the passionate advocates--I think they may be sociopathic and not good inside the tribe. That is why we created cops.
bsn