The president of the Brookings Institution resigned Sunday amid a federal investigation into whether he illegally lobbied on behalf of the wealthy Persian Gulf nation of Qatar.
Retired Gen. John Allen wrote in a letter to the think tank that he was leaving with a “heavy heart” but offered no direct explanation.
“I know it is in the best interest of everyone involved at this time,” Allen’s letter read.
A retired four-star Marine general who led US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, Allen’s announcement came less than a week after the Associated Press was first to report new court documents showing that the FBI had seized Allen’s electronic data as part of the lobbying investigation. .
Allen has not been charged with any crime and, through a spokesman, has denied any wrongdoing.
Brookings, which had placed Allen on administrative leave the day after the initial AP report, released a statement thanking Allen for guiding the think tank through the coronavirus pandemic and other contributions. The institution said that information on the search for a new president will be released soon.
New court documents detail Allen’s behind-the-scenes efforts to help Qatar influence US policy in June 2017, when a diplomatic crisis erupted between the gas-rich Persian Gulf monarchy and its neighbors.
An FBI agent said in an affidavit in support of a search warrant that there was “substantial evidence” that Allen had knowingly violated a foreign lobbying law and had made false statements and withheld “incriminating” documents.
Allen’s alleged lobbying work involved traveling to Qatar and meeting with the country’s top officials to offer advice on influencing American policy, as well as promoting Qatar’s point of view among top White House officials and members. of Congress, the FBI affidavit says.
The federal investigation involving Allen has already nabbed Richard G. Olson, a former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan who pleaded guilty to federal charges earlier this month, and Imaad Zuberi, a prolific political donor now serving a sentence. 12-year prison term on corruption charges. Several members of Congress have also been interviewed.
Brookings, one of the most prestigious think-thanks in the US, had initially hired Allen as a senior fellow before electing him president in late 2017 and paying him more than $1 million a year, according to recent tax records.
“The integrity and objectivity of Brookings Scholarship are the institution’s greatest assets, and Brookings seeks to uphold high ethical standards in all of its operations,” the think tank said in its statement Sunday.
Qatar has long been a major financial backer of Brookings, although Allen decided in 2019 to stop receiving new donations from the country.
Qatari officials have not responded to requests for comment on the Allen investigation.