Mark Siljander (Lifelong Learning Center of the Florida Keys)
A former Michigan congressman pleaded guilty Wednesday to failing to register as a lobbyist for an Islamic charity that is suspected of having ties to terrorism.
Ex-Rep. Mark Deli Siljander (R-Mich.), who represented southwestern Michigan from 1981 to 1987, admitted to violating of the Foreign Agents Registration Act in connection with his work for the Islamic American Relief Agency, which hired him to lobby the Senate Finance Committee to remove the organization from a list of charities with suspected terrorism ties. FARA requires people who are representing foreign entities to notify the Attorney General.
Siljander, who also served as a United Nations General Assembly representative from 1987 to 1988, is being prosecuted in the Western District of Missouri, where he was indicted in 2008 on the charges stemming from his work with the Columbia, Mo. charity.
This is the second FARA case to make headlines in the last few weeks. Last month, 11 alleged Russian spies were arrested on charges that they violated FARA.
[...] Associated PressTwo plead guilty in foreign charity caseKansas City StarAFP -UPI.com -Main Justiceall 322 news [...]
[...] last week former Congressman Mark D. Siljander of Michigan pleaded guilty to violating FARA in connection with his work for a foreign organization; namely the Islamic American Relief Agency, [...]