@DemocracyJourno @davidfrum I don't know of any close connection betw Ivanka and Erdogan, or of any direct involvement by Erdogan in development, construction or operation of Trump Towers Istanbul. The owner is the real estate affiliate of the Dogan Group, controlled by Aydi Dogan.+
@DemocracyJourno @davidfrum Dogan Group has been cross-wise with the government on multiple occasions, including the jailing of three company executives shortly after Trump's election, on plainly ridiculous charges of being somehow related to Gulen. +
@DemocracyJourno @davidfrum Trump Org's involvement in TT Istanbul (from which they derive a license fee and, maybe, a share of management fees) is entirely handled between Ivanka and the son-in-law of Aydin Dogan, Mehmet Ali Yalçındağ. He is currently Chmn of TAIK (Turkish-American Business Council), +
@DemocracyJourno @davidfrum having been appointed to that position (by the Turkish govt., ultimately) explicitly b/c of his close relationship w/ the Trumps. Yalçındağ's predecessor as Chairman was . . . Ekim Alptekin, who was removed for obvious reasons.+
@DemocracyJourno @davidfrum Although many (including, now, @davidfrum) have raised questions about whether Trump family interests in TT Istanbul may be the source of the 'leverage' that it appears Erodan has over DJT, I am personally skeptical and look to other (and larger) issues. +
@DemocracyJourno @davidfrum I think it's more likely related to any or all of: (i) Turkish k'ledge of, and involvement in, Flynn's illicit activities, in which DJT hoped to profit personally, (ii) Turkish k'ledge of Trump-Kushner involvement in at least the cover-up of Kashoggi's murder, +
@DemocracyJourno @davidfrum and (iii) complex arrangements surrounding the proposed sale of Patriot anti-missile defense systems to Turkey. I do NOT think it has anything to do with the merits of U.S. presence in Syria, which appears not to be a matter of any great concern to Trump but certainly is for RTE.
