The Justice Department has announced the closure of its investigation into Qatar’s alleged attempts to influence the US presidential election in 2020.
The investigation, led by former Marine Corps General John Allen, was launched by the department in 2021 after allegations were made that Qatar had engaged in illegal activities to influence the election.
Allen’s investigation had been ongoing since that time, with officials from both the US and Qatar providing testimony and evidence in an effort to uncover the truth.
Allen, a former four-star general who led US and partner soldiers in Afghanistan, resigned as head of the Brookings Institution in June, according to CNN, after a court filing revealed that the FBI had intercepted his electronic correspondence.
The FBI’s search warrant, which appeared to have been accidentally leaked online, accused Allen of appearing to break foreign lobbying regulations and neglecting to give communications connected to the lobbying campaign. Allen denied lobbying on Qatar’s behalf.
Justice Department Given Statement On Qatar
After more than a year of investigation, the Justice Department announced on Friday that the inquiry had not uncovered any evidence of criminal wrongdoing on Qatar’s part.
The department said in a statement: “After a thorough investigation, the Justice Department has determined that there is insufficient evidence to support any criminal charges against Qatar or its officials in connection with the 2020 US presidential election.”
The statement went on to say that the investigation “did not uncover any evidence that Qatar or its officials engaged in any activity that could be considered a criminal violation of US law.”
The announcement comes as a relief to Qatar, which had been under intense scrutiny from the US and its allies since the allegations first surfaced.
The closure of the investigation clears the way for Qatar to continue to engage in political activities in the US without fear of legal repercussions. It also allows Qatar to focus its attention on other important issues such as the recent diplomatic crisis in the Gulf region.
