Mark Siljander

Mark Deli Siljander
Born:	June 11, 1951 Chicago, Illinois
Charges:	Obstruction of justice, Acting as unregistered foreign agent
Sentence:	1 year
Facility:
Status:	Pardoned

Mark Deli Siljander (born June 11, 1951) is a former American politician who served as the U.S. Representative for Michigan's 4th congressional district from 1981 to 1987. In 2010, he pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. The charges stemmed from work he'd done for the Islamic American Relief Agency, which paid him $75,000 to lobby for its removal from a federal list of charities suspected of funding terrorism. He was sentenced to one year in federal prison. President Donald Trump pardoned Siljander in December 2020, citing his pro-life congressional record and post-prison charitable work. But the pardon drew sharp criticism from Republican Congressman Fred Upton, who'd defeated Siljander in the 1986 primary.

Summary

During his time in the House of Representatives in the 1980s, Siljander earned a reputation as a conservative Republican with a strong pro-life stance. After losing his congressional seat in a 1986 primary challenge from Fred Upton, he moved to Virginia and worked as a consultant and lobbyist.

The Islamic American Relief Agency (IARA) was a Missouri-based charity that came under federal scrutiny in 2008. Authorities suspected it of funneling money to terrorist organizations. Siljander was indicted for accepting $75,000 from IARA to lobby for the charity's removal from a government watch list. Prosecutors alleged he then lied to investigators about his activities.

Initially, he pleaded not guilty. That changed in 2010 when he accepted a plea deal. He served a one-year prison sentence. The 2020 pardon was controversial, particularly because his former primary opponent Fred Upton expressed strong disappointment with the decision.

Background

Early Life

Mark Deli Siljander was born on June 11, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois. His family moved to Michigan while he was young.

Education

He earned degrees from Western Michigan University.

Congressional Career

Appointment and Election

Siljander was appointed in 1981 to fill a vacancy in Michigan's 4th Congressional District. He won election to the seat in his own right and served three full terms.

Conservative Record

One of the most conservative members of the House. That was Siljander's main distinction during his tenure. He was particularly known for his strong opposition to abortion and his advocacy for pro-life causes.

1986 Primary Defeat

The 1986 Republican primary brought a challenge from Fred Upton, a more moderate Republican. Upton won. This ended Siljander's congressional career. Upton himself went on to serve in Congress for more than three decades.

Post-Congressional Career

Siljander moved to Virginia after leaving Congress and worked as a consultant and lobbyist. He also wrote about interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

Criminal Case

The Islamic American Relief Agency

IARA was a Missouri-based charity that came under federal scrutiny for suspected ties to terrorism. According to a 2008 federal indictment, the charity had transferred approximately $130,000 to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, an Afghan warlord whom the U.S. government designated as a terrorist with connections to al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

Indictment

On January 16, 2008, federal prosecutors indicted Siljander in Missouri on five counts including money laundering, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice. The government alleged that he'd received $75,000 from IARA to advocate for the charity's removal from a Senate Finance Committee list of charities suspected of funding terrorism. They also claimed he then lied to FBI agents and prosecutors about his work for the organization.

Guilty Plea

His initial not guilty plea didn't stick. On July 7, 2010, as part of a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to two counts: obstruction of justice and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. The money laundering charges were dropped.

Sentencing

In 2012, U.S. District Judge Nanette Kay Laughrey sentenced him to one year in federal prison and six months of supervised release. At the hearing, she made a striking observation: "Under the circumstances of this case there was no specific harm by the lobbying efforts that you undertook... The truth is, when you look at this objectively, this is not a case about somebody aiding a terrorist, it just isn't, and it would be wrong of me to, in fact, try to make it out to be that."

U.S. Attorney Beth Phillips saw things differently. She stated that Siljander "engaged in illegal lobbying for a charity suspected of funding international terrorism" and "repeatedly lied to FBI agents and prosecutors investigating serious crimes related to national security."

Presidential Pardon

In December 2020, President Donald Trump pardoned Mark Siljander.

Support for Pardon

The White House justified the pardon by pointing to Siljander's pro-life record while in Congress and his post-prison work abroad. Several prominent figures backed the decision:

• Former Attorney General Edwin Meese
• Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich
• Former Governor Mike Huckabee
• Representative Robert Aderholt
• Pastor Andrew Brunson

Criticism

Fred Upton had a different reaction. The Republican congressman who defeated Siljander in the 1986 primary and represented the same Michigan district for decades sharply criticized the pardon. Upton said: "I am beyond disappointed the President used his pardon authority on Mark Siljander, who accepted a plea bargain and lesser charges and still served a year in federal prison after having been indicted with a series of federal crimes including obstruction of justice, money laundering, and lobbying for an international terrorist group with ties to Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda, and the Taliban."

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What did Mark Siljander do?

Siljander was convicted of obstruction of justice and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. The Islamic American Relief Agency paid him $75,000 to lobby for its removal from a federal list of charities suspected of funding terrorism. That charity had been accused of transferring money to figures connected to al-Qaeda and the Taliban. He lied to FBI agents and prosecutors about his activities.

Q: Was Mark Siljander pardoned?

Yes. President Trump pardoned Siljander in December 2020. Supporting the pardon were Edwin Meese, Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, Robert Aderholt, and Andrew Brunson. The White House cited his pro-life congressional record and post-prison charitable work.

Q: How long was Mark Siljander's prison sentence?

In 2012, he was sentenced to one year in federal prison and six months supervised release. The sentencing judge noted the case was "not about somebody aiding a terrorist" and said no specific harm resulted from his lobbying. He served his sentence before receiving the pardon.

Q: What was Mark Siljander's congressional career?

He represented Michigan's 4th District from 1981 to 1987. An initial appointment to fill a vacancy led to election victories. During his tenure, he was known as a strongly conservative, pro-life member. The 1986 Republican primary ended his time in Congress when Fred Upton defeated him, though Upton went on to serve for decades.

Q: Who criticized Mark Siljander's pardon?

Fred Upton, who beat Siljander in 1986 and succeeded him in Congress, strongly criticized the pardon. Upton said he was "beyond disappointed" and noted Siljander had been "indicted with a series of federal crimes including obstruction of justice, money laundering, and lobbying for an international terrorist group with ties to Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda, and the Taliban."

See also

• Presidential Clemency and Pardons
• Politicians