US Congressperson Joe Wilson, a vocal critic of the Georgian government, has been accused by the ruling Georgian Dream party of receiving funding from the country’s opposition.
The accusation stemmed from the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party’s cooperation with a US lobbying firm Nelson Mullins that had previously donated to Wilson’s campaign.
According to a document uploaded to the website of the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), the contract between the US firm and the UNM was signed in July and concerned future cooperation between the two parties.
The UNM was to pay the firm $360,000 for a range of services, including advocacy before the US government, providing advice and assistance to support the UNM’s diplomatic activities in the US, as well as assisting the UNM’s efforts to ensure free and fair elections in Georgia.
The document made no mention of Wilson, but Georgian Dream and pro-government media pointed to the fact that among those the firm had previously donated to was Wilson — Nelson Mullens.
Ultimately, Georgian Dream politicians concluded that if Wilson had ties to the firm, he would also benefit from the money UNM paid to the firm.
‘Today we found out the price of Joe Wilson’s “love” and “friendship” for Georgia — it’s $360,000’, Georgian Dream MP and chair of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration, Levan Makhashvili, said on Tuesday.
Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili also commented on the matter, remarking that ‘it had become clear “how much the love of the Georgian people” is worth’.
Other members of the ruling party also accused Wilson of taking money in exchange for his stance on Georgia, including the chair of the Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, Archil Gourduladze, and MP Nino Tsilosani.
‘The document published on FARA reveals that Joe Wilson’s anti-Georgian statements come at quite a high price’, a journalist from the pro-government TV channel Imedi said during a live broadcast, once again linking the payment made by the UNM to the firm with Wilson.
According to its website, Nelson Mullins was established in 1897, employing more than 1,000 attorneys, policy advisors, and professionals.
Public sources, including FARA and OpenSecrets, have shown that in recent years, Nelson Mullins has donated to both Democratic and Republican politicians — among them former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and former Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley.
Wilson was listed among this wide range of political figures, with the firm sending him multiple donations prior to signing a contract with the UNM in early July.
Wilson is one of the most outspoken critics of Georgian Dream in the US Congress. He was the original sponsor of the MEGOBARI Act, which called for sanctions against members of Georgian Dream and their associates. The act passed the US House of Representatives in May.
Nate Ostiller
