The Obama administration spent hundreds of thousan
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Posted On: 05/17/2017 10:23:23 AM
The Obama administration spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in an effort to prevent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from winning re-election last year.
According to The Washington Times, $350,000 of taxpayer money was given to OneVoice. On the surface, that money was supposed to help the peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine.
However, the cash was instead spent on stopping Netanyahu from winning.
Netanyahu was still victorious in his bid for re-election.
The Times reports the $350,000 helped put together a database of voters, train political activists, and even bring on a consulting firm that had connections with President Barack Obama's campaign.
The findings were announced by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which said the State Department should have recognized the "warning signs" of OneVoice's politics.
"The State Department ignored warnings signs and funded a politically active group in a politically sensitive environment with inadequate safeguards," said Sen. Rob Portman, chairman of the investigative subcommittee, according to the Times.
"It is completely unacceptable that U.S. taxpayer dollars were used to build a political campaign infrastructure that was deployed — immediately after the grant ended — against the leader of our closest ally in the Middle East. American resources should be used to help our allies in the region, not undermine them."
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According to the subcommittee's report conclusion, OneVoice's political activity was well-known.
"OneVoice was forthright with the Department about its political activity in 2013, and it was also clear that OneVoice would use grant funds to build or enhance resources that might be applied to political activities," the report reads.
According to The Washington Times, $350,000 of taxpayer money was given to OneVoice. On the surface, that money was supposed to help the peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine.
However, the cash was instead spent on stopping Netanyahu from winning.
Netanyahu was still victorious in his bid for re-election.
The Times reports the $350,000 helped put together a database of voters, train political activists, and even bring on a consulting firm that had connections with President Barack Obama's campaign.
The findings were announced by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which said the State Department should have recognized the "warning signs" of OneVoice's politics.
"The State Department ignored warnings signs and funded a politically active group in a politically sensitive environment with inadequate safeguards," said Sen. Rob Portman, chairman of the investigative subcommittee, according to the Times.
"It is completely unacceptable that U.S. taxpayer dollars were used to build a political campaign infrastructure that was deployed — immediately after the grant ended — against the leader of our closest ally in the Middle East. American resources should be used to help our allies in the region, not undermine them."
Learn More
According to the subcommittee's report conclusion, OneVoice's political activity was well-known.
"OneVoice was forthright with the Department about its political activity in 2013, and it was also clear that OneVoice would use grant funds to build or enhance resources that might be applied to political activities," the report reads.
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