Two more U.S. congressmen claim that defending UOC is “Kremlin lobbying”
Three Republican lawmakers have sent a letter to the U.S. Attorney General requesting an investigation into ROCOR for possible Russian influence.
Following Joe Wilson, two more U.S. congressmen – Don Bacon (Nebraska) and Austin Scott (Georgia) – signed a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi asking the Department of Justice to investigate whether Russia has tried to “recruit, leverage, influence, or otherwise compromise the independence” of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), UOJ in America reports.
The appeal was issued on the eve of the visit of a delegation of bishops, clergy, and faithful from Orthodox Churches in the United States to Congress with the mission of defending the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).
“t has come to our attention that ROCOR leadership is engaging in lobbying efforts claiming to represent interests of Ukrainian Christians,” the letter states. “This development raises legitimate concerns that ROCOR or other entities subordinate to Patriarch Kirill could serve as vehicles for intelligence collection or sabotage operations directed at U.S. policymakers.”
In response to these accusations, ROCOR First Hierarch Metropolitan Nicholas emphasized the value of religious freedom in America. He noted that his own family sought that freedom when fleeing Soviet persecution.
Bishop Luke of Syracuse, in his letter to Wilson, described the accusations as especially painful given his family’s history. His grandparents fled centuries of persecution under Austro–Hungarian rule, and his father fought for the United States on Iwo Jima.
Speaking to the Daily Caller, UOC attorney Robert Amsterdam stressed that the delegation did not call for ending U.S. assistance to Ukraine but spoke only about the rights of UOC believers who are facing unjust treatment by the Ukrainian government.
“Even at the height of the Cold War, the United States left these churches to worship peaceably,” Amsterdam said. “It is shocking that there are sitting congressmen willing so blatantly to violate the founding principles of this nation – the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech – and put these churches and their parishioners at risk of reprisals.”
A ROCOR priest, who asked to remain anonymous, emphasized that the Washington meetings were attended not only by ROCOR representatives but also by clergy from the Orthodox Church in America, as well as the Antiochian and Serbian jurisdictions – together representing around 80% of Orthodox believers in the United States.
Earlier, South Carolina representative Thomas Beach stated that Wilson’s comments were "beneath the office.”
