© 2022 Concerned Citizens of Western Montana

Our thanks to a reader of our blog who long ago pointed us in the direction of Peter Schweizer’s book Secret Empires, documenting how America’s political elite enrich themselves and their family members through their powerful committee positions and political connections. The Denny Rehberg story had a footnote reference to the Mongolia Water Compact that piqued our curiosity and brought us straight to the material in this post.

What’s the Millennium Challenge Corporation?

As background to this post, in 2004 Congress established the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a bilateral United States foreign aid agency.

Buried within a 455 page appropriations bill, the MCC was a brand spanking new government agency, created to:

1) provide United States assistance for global development through the Millennium Challenge Corporation, as described in section 604, and

(2) to provide such assistance in a manner that promotes economic growth and the elimination of extreme poverty and strengthens good governance, economic freedom, and investments in people.

According to Wikipedia, the Millennium Challenge Corporation is an independent agency separate from the State Department and USAID.  Montana Senators Baucus and Burns, and Representative Rehberg all voted to authorize it.  

Dirty Denny

Chapter Six of Secret Empires, titled The Princelings of K Street, begins with the story of Representative Denny Rehberg and his son A.J.,

The Rehberg timeline paints a pretty clear picture of how the Millennium Challenge Corporation is used by politicians to personally benefit through the “resource extraction and infrastructure opportunities” that are created by the MCC, and funded by Congress.

  • In 2004, the Millennium Challenge Corporation is authorized by Congress at the request of George W. Bush.
  • Sometime during the 109th Congress (2005-2006), Rehberg established the U.S.-Mongolia Friendship Caucus.
  • In 2006 House Resolution 828 was passed, – “Commending the people of Mongolia, on the 800th anniversary of Mongolian statehood, for building strong, democratic institutions, and expressing the support of the House of Representatives for efforts by the United States to continue to strengthen its partnership with that country.” Denny was a co-sponsor of the resolution.
  • In 2007 A.J. Rehberg, became a lobbyist for Gage, LLC, a Washington DC lobbyist firm, founded and led by a former chief of staff of Conrad Burns. According to the Mongolian embassy in Washington, A. J. Rehberg was “the primary point of contact for the firm’s work with the embassy.” 
  • As a member of the Committee on Appropriations, Congressman Rehberg was ideally positioned to help the Mongolians. 
  • In 2007 the Mongolian government signed a compact for $285 million in U.S. taxpayer money for infrastructure projects in the country. That included plans to improve a railroad that was partly owned by the Mongolian government. The purpose of the railroad would be to transport minerals—including uranium.
  • In 2010, A.J. became vice president of a uranium company called Mongolia Forward. Based out of Washington, D.C., the company was involved in a joint venture agreement with the Mongolian government’s state owned uranium company that authorized Mongolia Forward to “explore, mine and process uranium in Mongolia.” The goal was to import the precious metal into the United States. A. J. Rehberg had no background in the nuclear industry. His job at Mongolia Forward was to serve as vice president for “public and government affairs.” Gage actually lobbied Congressman Rehberg’s Committee on Appropriations on behalf of A.J.’s company, according to federal records on issues related to “exploration, mining and international trade.”
  • Over time, A.J. also became involved in several other Mongolian business ventures, including a fiber optic network company and the first Pepsi bottling plant in the country.
  • Beginning in 2009, Daddy Rehberg also sat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, which meant that he had oversight of the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
  • By 2011, the Mongolian Government hired Gage as their Washington D.C. Lobbyist
  • In 2012, Congressman Rehberg decided to run for the U.S. Senate in Montana. He lost. Shortly after he gave up his congressional seat, he joined the lobbying firm Mercury, and was ultimately hired by the CSKT to lobby on behalf of the CSKT Compact.

So what are the odds that a representative out of Montana would set up a Mongolian Caucus in Congress out of the goodness of his heart?

It should also be noted that the Mongolian government’s hopes of importing uranium to the U.S. through A.J.’s company relied on approval from both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives.

But not to worry. In a 2011 article titled “Rehberg’s Son Works for Lobbyists“, the Associated Press Reported:

Rehberg says there is no conflict of interest and he has done due diligence in asking the House ethics committee for guidance in the situation. 

The congressman was told lawmakers’ family members are not prohibited from working at a lobbying firm. GAGE also employs former Republican U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns. 

“There is no law, rule, or standard of conduct that absolutely prohibits a family member from accepting employment with a lobbying firm, or even engaging in lobbying-related activities,” ethics committee leaders told Rehberg in a letter. 

Rehberg was advised to establish an office policy prohibiting lobbying of his office by his son as a safeguard, even though A.J. is not a registered lobbyist, and to warn GAGE not to advertise the relationship in attracting clients. He was also told to make sure GAGE was not given extra influence as a result of hiring his son as a vice president. 

“But Denny and A.J. have taken it a step further, establishing a professional firewall. There’s an understanding between them that they just don’t talk shop together,” said spokesman Jed Link. “Denny also made it perfectly clear to GAGE that hiring A.J. would neither help nor hurt their standing with him or his office. A.J. being on staff has no impact whatsoever.” 

Gee, nothing to see here. Does this at all sound like the Joe and Hunter Biden story?

What’s Good Enough for the World is Good Enough for America

Does anyone really think the CSKT Compact will satiate the monster that federal, state and tribal governments have become? 

Do you believe that the United States or CSKT tribal governments will be satisfied with the transfer of wealth represented in the Daine’s Compact consisting of a multi-billion dollar financial settlement, most if not all of the water in western Montana, ownership of the National Bison Range, and more? Are you confident that the Flathead Compact resolved all water and property rights issues in western Montana forever into the future?

The truth is that all of the untold wealth transferred via the water compact is little more than chump change to the elite who are able to create money out of thin air, and the politicians that love to spend it.

The Rehberg story is just one instance of the Congressional money laundering road map to corruption and control throughout the world.

In 2020, we laid out the case that Montana’s tribal governments are sucking vast amounts of money out of the state and federal treasuries. 

However it would seem that paying out all that money to “dependent tribal governments” in the form of 638 contracts, questionable “aerospace” contracts, and other social programs may not be enough for the powers that be.

After coming across the Millennium Challenge Corporation, we couldn’t help but wonder if the Congressional FOREIGN AID money laundering scheme had a similar DOMESTIC counterpart designed to exploit the wealth and resources of America.

Apparently it does, or should we say, given some time, it very likely will.

The Native American Millennium Challenge

It quickly became clear that Congress wanted to expand upon the “success of their Millennium Challenge Corporation “foreign aid” scam. Since 2007, Congress has been working on a domestic copycat program called the Native American Millennium Challenge.

Imagine that.

The document linked here shows that it has been introduced in both the House and the Senate, in each of the last eight Congressional Sessions. While the bills seem to call for a “demonstration or trial” program intended mainly for Alaskan and Hawaiian Natives, and NGO’s associated with tribes, Eligible Entities have also been defined to include:

in the 48 contiguous states, not more than 2 or 3 organizations to be determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the interior, which may be Indian tribes, consortia of Indian tribes or non-governmental entities authorized by 1 or more Indian tribes.

The money laundering aspect of this program follows the path of the Millennium Challenge Corporation. It includes tribes that meet certain “federally determined criteria” will sign “Compacts” with the federal government for “economic development projects.” If similar to the MCC, these projects could include resource extraction, infrastructure and tribal or non-Governmental Organization business development.

After the passage of MCC, a whole cottage industry of federal government contractors sprung up for the purpose of overseeing and managing the projects. This is how the family members and friends of politicians are also able to cash in on all the “foreign aid” that their laundered money can buy.

Even the American Chamber of Commerce has gotten in on the act and apparently has a Mongolia presence. Really?

Imagine the havoc a program such as this will wreak upon those who happen to live in or near a federally defined tribal economic development area.

While the legislation associated with this project has not moved further than the “committee stage” in Congress, it is only a matter of time before Congress makes its move, and that likely will be in a lame duck session, and while they have us distracted on another virus or other such nonsense.

After all, there are many opportunities to exploit domestic resources and to transfer the wealth of our country for the “benefit” of politicians, non-governmental organizations, and tribal governments.

And it is guaranteed to be to the detriment of hardworking Americans.

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