The Duke and the King and the Turk
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Long ago, Samuel Langhorne Clemens told us about the Duke and the King. One hundred and thirty years ago, to be exact.
From Mr. Clemens, otherwise known as Mark Twain, many of us recall "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Rafting down the Mississippi River (I think it was the Mighty Miss), Huck and ol' Jim fall in with a pair of no-good con men. One presents himself as a king and the other a duke. They slide into a small town in Arkansas and put on a Shakespearean play. The locals reject their presentation and the Duke and the King take revenge on the small town. A century later, they moved to Ohio and became Republicans.
Granted, we've plowed this ground before – and there's no need to plow the same field twice, as former Ohio Senate President and Adams County Commissioner Doug White used to say.
So, today, let's forget about the Duke and the King and focus on the Turk.
The Turk is Fethullah Gulen. A number of Ohio Republican lawmakers have earned the same handle. And deservedly so. State Rep. Turk (fill in the blank) seems to fit, particularly in the southwest quadrant of the Buckeye State.
This Turkish Islamic cleric is a part of something called the Gulen Movement. As we reported this week, he is living in exile in Saylorsburg, Penn. and has been successful, through the Niagara Foundation and more than 140 tax-supported charter schools in the United States, in entering the arteries of government in Ohio and throughout the United States.
On Monday, July 28, I spoke with Bill Phillis of the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy in School Funding about Gulen.
Mr. Phillis has written that the "Gulenists approach government and business officials with the agenda of promoting education, economic development and amicable relationships while keeping their Gulen connections under the radar. They come bearing gifts, such as campaign contributions and junkets to Turkey." The last part caught my attention. Less than three years ago, we published a story about some Republican Ohio state and county public officials taking what they described as an "economic trade mission to Turkey."
We also published a story about former Second District Congresswoman Jean Schmidt – another Republican – and her substantial funds from, you guessed it, Turkey. Jean Schmidt was most disingenuous about that little episode.
As to the alleged "economic trade mission to Turkey," we reported – as submitted by the politicians themselves – that "All four elected officials and the legislative staffer paid their own airfare and traveled at no expense to the taxpayers."
Well, isn't that special?
We also reported – again, as submitted by the politicians – that The Niagara Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to improving relations between Turkey and the United States – sponsored the trade delegation. And whaddya know? The Niagara Foundation comes back to none other than the Turk – Islamist cleric Fethullah Gulen.
From a dateline of Istanbul, Republican State Rep. Cliff Rosenberger said: "This mission gave us an important opportunity to sell our great state and, most importantly, our region and our workforce."
To whom did you sell our great state?
Highland County Commissioner and Republican Jeremy Shaffer said: "In meeting with the companies and government officials, we were able to gain a better understanding of ways in which both Turkey and Ohio can foster mutually friendly trade relations and gained valuable contacts."
I would beseech Messrs. Rosenberger and Shaffer to publicly share precisely what benefits have been derived from their Niagara Foundation-funded trip to Turkey. I would also beseech members of the local Republican Party to publicly share their thoughts on Turkish money and its impact in Ohio politics, government and, more importantly, education. I would also encourage those who made the Turkey trek with State Rep. Peter Beck and his 53 criminal indictments to publicly explain that relationship. Hello?
Mr. Phillis told me that the Gulen Movement is all about proselyting; i.e., converting Ohio students to Islam. If so, our tax dollars ought not be complicit in this all-too cozy arrangement. The questionable financial practices of at least two public officials on the 2011 trip to Turkey are already well documented. (If they want to go there, I'll steer the ship.)
This part of southern Ohio's state representative can either side with his political allies or explain their obvious shortcomings. Or, most likely, he'll continue his silence in hopes of becoming a speaker. How's that for irony?
Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]
From Mr. Clemens, otherwise known as Mark Twain, many of us recall "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Rafting down the Mississippi River (I think it was the Mighty Miss), Huck and ol' Jim fall in with a pair of no-good con men. One presents himself as a king and the other a duke. They slide into a small town in Arkansas and put on a Shakespearean play. The locals reject their presentation and the Duke and the King take revenge on the small town. A century later, they moved to Ohio and became Republicans.
Granted, we've plowed this ground before – and there's no need to plow the same field twice, as former Ohio Senate President and Adams County Commissioner Doug White used to say.
So, today, let's forget about the Duke and the King and focus on the Turk.
The Turk is Fethullah Gulen. A number of Ohio Republican lawmakers have earned the same handle. And deservedly so. State Rep. Turk (fill in the blank) seems to fit, particularly in the southwest quadrant of the Buckeye State.
This Turkish Islamic cleric is a part of something called the Gulen Movement. As we reported this week, he is living in exile in Saylorsburg, Penn. and has been successful, through the Niagara Foundation and more than 140 tax-supported charter schools in the United States, in entering the arteries of government in Ohio and throughout the United States.
On Monday, July 28, I spoke with Bill Phillis of the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy in School Funding about Gulen.
Mr. Phillis has written that the "Gulenists approach government and business officials with the agenda of promoting education, economic development and amicable relationships while keeping their Gulen connections under the radar. They come bearing gifts, such as campaign contributions and junkets to Turkey." The last part caught my attention. Less than three years ago, we published a story about some Republican Ohio state and county public officials taking what they described as an "economic trade mission to Turkey."
We also published a story about former Second District Congresswoman Jean Schmidt – another Republican – and her substantial funds from, you guessed it, Turkey. Jean Schmidt was most disingenuous about that little episode.
As to the alleged "economic trade mission to Turkey," we reported – as submitted by the politicians themselves – that "All four elected officials and the legislative staffer paid their own airfare and traveled at no expense to the taxpayers."
Well, isn't that special?
We also reported – again, as submitted by the politicians – that The Niagara Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to improving relations between Turkey and the United States – sponsored the trade delegation. And whaddya know? The Niagara Foundation comes back to none other than the Turk – Islamist cleric Fethullah Gulen.
From a dateline of Istanbul, Republican State Rep. Cliff Rosenberger said: "This mission gave us an important opportunity to sell our great state and, most importantly, our region and our workforce."
To whom did you sell our great state?
Highland County Commissioner and Republican Jeremy Shaffer said: "In meeting with the companies and government officials, we were able to gain a better understanding of ways in which both Turkey and Ohio can foster mutually friendly trade relations and gained valuable contacts."
I would beseech Messrs. Rosenberger and Shaffer to publicly share precisely what benefits have been derived from their Niagara Foundation-funded trip to Turkey. I would also beseech members of the local Republican Party to publicly share their thoughts on Turkish money and its impact in Ohio politics, government and, more importantly, education. I would also encourage those who made the Turkey trek with State Rep. Peter Beck and his 53 criminal indictments to publicly explain that relationship. Hello?
Mr. Phillis told me that the Gulen Movement is all about proselyting; i.e., converting Ohio students to Islam. If so, our tax dollars ought not be complicit in this all-too cozy arrangement. The questionable financial practices of at least two public officials on the 2011 trip to Turkey are already well documented. (If they want to go there, I'll steer the ship.)
This part of southern Ohio's state representative can either side with his political allies or explain their obvious shortcomings. Or, most likely, he'll continue his silence in hopes of becoming a speaker. How's that for irony?
Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]