WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley wrote to Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson requesting further information on Rinat Akhmetshin, the Russian-American lobbyist who was present at the June 2016 meeting with Donald Trump, Jr.
Akhmetshin built a reputation for his pro-Russia lobbying efforts against the Magnitsky Act, a law sanctioning Russian persons involved in human rights violations. In the course of lobbying, he never registered as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), despite a complaint to the Justice Department identifying him as such. The Justice Department’s FARA unit reportedly contacted Akhmetshin regarding FARA compliance following Grassley’s previous inquiry regarding Akhmetshin’s alleged failure to register under FARA.
Grassley previously requested and received Akhmetshin’s immigration file from Secretary Kelly, but the file’s contents have prompted an additional request for documents to shed light on his numerous visa applications and extensive travel activity during the years preceding naturalization. Further, Akhmetshin’s apparently incomplete disclosure of his prior background with the Russian military and intelligence apparatus raises concerns about the level of scrutiny in processing his visa applications and eventual acquisition of American citizenship in 2009.
In his letter, Grassley requests all visa records and associated documentation as well as details on any additional processing relating to Akhmetshin’s visa applications. He also requests any records relating to Akhmetshin’s immigration petitions and entries into the United States beyond those already provided to the committee.
Full text of the letter.
