Is Azeri oil money trying to buy US Congress?

A group of top US lawmakers and their staffers flew business class on a trip to Baku later this fall and stayed at luxury hotels while touring the historic sites of the townand receiving the "briefings" on bilateral relations.

The delegation included Democrat congressmen Jim McDermott (WA), Donald Payne (NJ),Republicans Billy Long (MO)and several others,met in Baku with President IlhamAliyev and praised "rapid development processes" in Azerbaijan.

The trip,which took place on November 21-26, came at the time when oil-rich country's leadership was lashing out at the US administration for its criticism overthe presidential poll that saw Aliyev claim a third term with a crushing victory to extend his family's decades-long rule. 

The all-expenses-paid visit apparently was one of the 36 congressional trips were made to Azerbaijan in 2013 alone, at a cost of total $260,000, according to the US Justice Department records.

A New York-based group Humpty Dumpty Institute, and Baku-linked Azpod LLC have spent approximately $40,000 to the Congressmen's November trip, the official data that was provided to TURAN's Washington DC correspondent shows.

The lawmakers who went to Baku haven't disclosed their trip details yet, asthey are reported only on annual financial forms, which won't be released until June. The Congressmen's offices also refused to comment on the topic.

In the meantime, one Washington-based lobbyist familiar with the trip, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TURAN's correspondent that the visit has cost Azeri taxpayers "a reasonable price," adding that such travels had "fact-finding nature." 

"This types of overseas trips are often arranged by lobbyists working for foreign governments and have certain agendas based on the nature of it," she said.

While Humpty Dumpty Institute officials also refused to speak to the media on "this particular matter", Azpod LLC was even impossible to be found. According to the website LegiStorm, which collects congressional data, the Azeri government backed group is based in Baku (Address: 2093 5A I. Abishov St) with a website of azpod.az, which couldn't be found online.

Critics of such trips in the US Capital say it is "unacceptable"for members of the House and Senate to accept visits bankrolled by the authoritarian countries with turning their blind eyes on their realities."This is nothing that the oil-reach Azerbaijani government's attempt of bribing Congress and its members:" a former American diplomat told TURAN, adding that all patriotic Azeris and Americans "should raise their voice demandingit stop immediately."

Meanwhile, Humpty Dumpty Institute is preparing another congressional delegation to Azerbaijan, an official souse informed TURAN. The trip will take place on March 14-19. 

No program was set up yet, but based on the initial plan;the lawmakers and their staff members likely are about to enjoyanother extravagant Baku trip,thanks to Azeri oil dollars.