FREEFORUM

[HEARD] From two people in the Toronto community who work near politics: the American President did not think of Irad by himself. Somebody put us in a briefing.

Some say Moscow people. Some say "our own people". That's all I have. I'm only passing it on, with the label.

Long-time reader, first post. Arlington, Virginia. Second generation, my parents left in 1998. I work as a paralegal near DC.

One practical point: lobbyists who work for foreign clients have to register with the US government, and those registrations are public. If "our own people" hired someone, there is a piece of paper somewhere.

I'll start reading. Don't expect anything fast. Those registers are a swamp.

Same talk in Chicago. Washington does not wake up one morning and remember Irad. For nineteen years I wrote letters to congressmen on behalf of the Association, and the most I ever got back was a signed photograph.

Somebody got further than a photograph.

Good instinct, foggy. Paper, not feelings.

[RUMOUR] In Nurzhan they say it was Bekzatov's people, via Moscow. In Talas they say it was Maksat, via China somehow. Everybody's rumour is about the man they already hated.

The government has delivered a demarche through the UN mission. The matter is closed. Have a nice day.

Update after three weekends: nothing in the foreign agent register under "Irad". Nothing under Talas, ISEZ, Iradistan either.

That doesn't mean nothing exists. Clients get filed under companies, holding entities, consultancies. Next step is company names, which is slower.

foggy you are the most patient person on this forum and that includes the shepherd

[HEARD] A new name in the talk now: Alikhan. People say his friends from London made the introductions in Washington in late 2024.

HEARD, again. From people who don't like Alikhan, which is a lot of people.

Logic check, not evidence: Alikhan runs IradOne Media Group, sports rights, the luxury franchises. Western-facing, London-schooled. If anyone in that family wanted a friend in Washington, he's the obvious one.

"Obvious" is also how rumours choose their villains.

Six months on. I went through the holding names I could find in public sources connected to Steppe Luxury Group and IradOne Media Group. No registration under any of them.

Two filings mention "Central Asian media clients" with no country given. That could be anyone from Almaty to Ashgabat. I'm not posting the firms. This is a forum about rumours and I don't want to start one.

"I don't want to start one" should go on the rules page.

NEW ON THE MAIN SITE: Who Put Irad on Trump's Desk?

OUR SOURCES SAY LOBBYISTS WERE RETAINED BY PEOPLE CLOSE TO ALIKHAN TOKTAROV IN LATE 2024. THIS IS AN ALLEGATION FROM TWO SOURCES, DESCRIBED IN THE ARTICLE BY ROLE ONLY. IRADONE MEDIA GROUP CALLS IT FICTION.

foggy_bottom_iradi: WE MENTIONED YOU WITHOUT MENTIONING YOU. ARGUE WITH IT HERE.

Read it. Honest review:

The article is right that there should be a filing. It's also right that nobody has found one. Those two facts point in opposite directions. "People close to" is doing a lot of work in that sentence.

I'll keep looking. I'd love to be the one who proves it. I'd also be fine being the one who can't.

As the article itself admits, IradOne Media Group calls it fiction. Case closed. Have a nice day.

NotADPIagent posted:

As the article itself admits

it "admits" it because it prints the other side's answer. you should try that sometime

Funny how this rumour travelled. February 2025 it was Moscow. Then China. Now Alikhan. The rumour goes wherever the family fight goes: the general does his "guests" speech in December, so the playboy needs friends abroad by January.

Or it's just a story that fits too well.

A story that fits too well is like a saddle that fits too well. Ask who measured the horse.

I asked the Association board whether anybody was approached in 2024 by "Washington consultants" about Irad. One man said yes, in 2019, about opening a dental clinic. So, no.

For the new readers arriving from the main site: still no filing under any name I can connect. Keep your label at [HEARD]. Not [SEEN]. Not yet.