Title

Threat of Foreign Corruption to Be Explored at Helsinki Commission Hearing

Friday, November 12, 2021

WASHINGTON—The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today announced the following hearing:

CONFRONTING KREMLIN & COMMUNIST CORRUPTION

Thursday, November 18, 2021
10:30 a.m.
Dirksen Senate Office Building
Room G-50

Watch live: www.youtube.com/HelsinkiCommission

The Kremlin and the Chinese Communist Party, as well as other U.S. adversaries, practice kleptocracy, an authoritarian governance model in which political leaders routinely engage in illicit self-enrichment, maintain power through corrupt patronage networks, exploit democracies to conceal and protect stolen assets, and use strategic corruption as a tool of foreign policy.

Kleptocracy now poses the most serious challenge to democratic governance worldwide.  President Biden has declared countering corruption a core national security interest and Congress has responded with a series of legislative proposals to fight kleptocracy both at home and abroad.

This hearing will bring together experts on kleptocracy to examine how the United States can confront foreign corruption. In particular, witnesses will discuss the ways that the United States can fortify its system against the taint of corruption and hold kleptocrats to account.

The following witnesses are scheduled to testify:

  • Representative Tom Malinowski (NJ-07), Member of Congress, Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus against Foreign Corruption and Kleptocracy
  • Representative María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Member of Congress, Member of the Congressional Caucus against Foreign Corruption and Kleptocracy
  • Leonid Volkov, Chief of Staff to Alexei Navalny
  • Elaine Dezenski, Senior Advisor, Center on Economic and Financial Power, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
  • Scott Greytak, Advocacy Director, Transparency International U.S. Office
Media contact: 
Name: 
Stacy Hope
Email: 
csce[dot]press[at]mail[dot]house[dot]gov
Phone: 
202.225.1901
Relevant issues: 
Corruption
Relevant countries: 
Russian Federation
United States of America
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