Hungarian-born investor and philanthropist George Soros is finally under investigation for his underhanded political scheming in Eastern Europe.
This week, conservative lawmakers signed a series of letters accusing the billionaire of using his philanthropic organizations to infect Eastern Europe with his liberal sensibilities.
As I wrote last month, GOP lawmakers pushed for an investigation after Soros was accused of using USAID funds to accomplish his leftwing goals in the Balkans.
Several world leaders have made similar accusations.
Pro-Russian Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban claims the “trans-border empire of George Soros” is “trying secretly and with foreign money to influence Hungarian politics.”
Former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski says Soros has a “decisive influence” on the nation’s politics.
“If it were not for George Soros behind it with all the millions he pours into Macedonia, the entire network of NGOs, media, politicians, inside and out … the economy would be stronger, we would have had more new jobs.”
“His foundation, in finances and human resources, is the most powerful foundation in the world that has political goals,” added Gruevski.
These claims drew attention to Soros’s questionable behavior, as did the formation of Stop Operation Soros (SOS) – a Macedonian campaign aimed to fight the liberal financier’s “subversive” activities.
SOS claims that Soros is “organizing protests all throughout the Balkans.” The group’s president has compared the protests to Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the US.
Since 2002, Soros-funded groups in Macedonia have received three large grants from USAID.
One of these grants, in the form of $4.8 million, went to the Foundation Open Society Macedonia (FOSM) in order to fund “The Civil Society Project” – an effort that aims “to empower Macedonian citizens to hold government accountable.”
This project has involved training hundreds of activists in the “use of media instruments.”
This is federal money we’re talking about.
“It seems that the US government funded organizations that have taken sides, specifically, the side of the socialists, which is absolutely unacceptable. I think this is illegal and we will examine this case to the fullest extent,” argues Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ).
Smith and Utah Senator Mike Lee have teamed up with Russian-backed politicians in Eastern Europe to stop Soros and to find out what’s really going on.
Lee and several other senators sent a letter to Sec. of State Rex Tillerson in which they claim that Soros and his Open Society Foundations are attempting “to push a progressive agenda and invigorate the political left.”
“We’re not supposed to be taking sides,” says Smith. “There needs to be a top-to-bottom review at the State Department to ensure this kind of aggressive partisanship doesn’t take place.”
Not everyone in Macedonia appreciates the attention.
Aleksandar Nikoloski, a spokesman for the political party once led by Gruevski, says, “We have a problem with one foundation and one person, and it’s not good that it’s being abused in a strategic game that Russia is playing or someone else is playing.”