The prestigious Brookings Institution on Wednesday laid off its president, retired four-star Navy General John Allen, amid a federal investigation into his role in an illegal lobbying campaign on behalf of the rich nation. of the Persian Gulf of Qatar.
Brookings’ announcement came a day after The Associated Press reported new court documents showing that the FBI recently confiscated Allen’s electronic data as part of the investigation and detailed its backstage efforts to help Qatar influence U.S. politics in 2017, when a diplomatic crisis erupted. between the gas-rich monarchy and its neighbors.
Allen, who led U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan before being selected to lead Brookings in late 2017, has not been charged with any felony and has previously been denied no felony. His spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday.
Brookings told staff in an email Wednesday that the institute is not under investigation and that the executive vice president of the think tank, Ted Gayer, will act as acting president.
“We have full confidence in the ability of the Brookings team to stay focused on delivering quality, independence and impact,” the email said.
Brookings pays Allen more than $ 1 million a year, according to its most recent tax records. Email to staff did not say whether Allen would continue to charge during leave.
The federal investigation involving Allen has already caught Richard G. Olson, a former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan who pleaded guilty to federal charges last week, and Imaad Zuberi, a prolific political donor who is now serving a 12-year sentence. years in prison for corruption. charges. Several members of Congress have also been interviewed.
An FBI agent said in a affidavit in support of a search warrant that there was “substantial evidence” that Allen had knowingly violated a foreign lobbying law and had made false statements and withheld “incriminating” documents.
Allen’s backstage work involved traveling to Qatar and meeting with top officials in the country to provide advice on how to influence U.S. policy, as well as promoting Qatar’s views to senior Qatari officials. White House and Congress, according to the FBI affidavit. .
The Qatari embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Brookings is one of the most influential thanks in the US and has long had strong ties to Qatar. In 2007, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs agreed to fund a Brookings-backed branch in Qatar called the Brookings Doha Center.
The Qatari government said in a 2012 press release that the center’s role included “reflecting Qatar’s brilliant image in the international media, especially the United States,” according to a New York Times report showing that Qatar had given to Brookings $ 14.4 million in donations over a four-year period.
As a non-profit, Brookings does not have to disclose its donations, but voluntarily discloses certain data. Its annual reports show that Qatar donated at least $ 2 million annually from 2016 to 2021.
Brookings said in a statement that Allen decided in 2019 to stop receiving new donations from Qatar and close the Brookings Doha Center.
“Brookings has strong policies to ban donors from conducting research,” he said in an email to employees on Wednesday.
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Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia, Mustian of New Orleans.
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Contact the AP Global Research Team at Investigative@ap.org or