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| Gun Deal in Jeopardy for Turkish Guards Who Beat Protesters | Gun Deal in Jeopardy for Turkish Guards Who Beat Protesters |
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| WASHINGTON — The day before armed guards from the Turkish president’s security detail violently attacked a group of peaceful protesters here last month, the State Department notified Congress of its intention to license the sale of $1.2 million worth of semiautomatic handguns to the security force. | WASHINGTON — The day before armed guards from the Turkish president’s security detail violently attacked a group of peaceful protesters here last month, the State Department notified Congress of its intention to license the sale of $1.2 million worth of semiautomatic handguns to the security force. |
| Two weeks later, with mounting outrage over the episode among American lawmakers and a continuing investigation by the State Department that could lead to criminal charges against some of the guards involved, the future of the sale now appears to be in question. | Two weeks later, with mounting outrage over the episode among American lawmakers and a continuing investigation by the State Department that could lead to criminal charges against some of the guards involved, the future of the sale now appears to be in question. |
| Though the State Department has not notified Congress if it intends to withhold a license for the sale, it has met resistance from at least one senior lawmaker on Capitol Hill that could stall or even sink the transaction. | Though the State Department has not notified Congress if it intends to withhold a license for the sale, it has met resistance from at least one senior lawmaker on Capitol Hill that could stall or even sink the transaction. |
| The attack has presented the State Department with a particularly thorny challenge, as it balances geopolitical interests with domestic concerns in coordinating a response. American lawmakers have demanded the guards be held to account, while Turkey, a NATO ally and an active partner in the fight against the Islamic State, has all but denied the guards’ role in the skirmish. Several videos show the guards, many with pistols under their jackets, beating protesters. | The attack has presented the State Department with a particularly thorny challenge, as it balances geopolitical interests with domestic concerns in coordinating a response. American lawmakers have demanded the guards be held to account, while Turkey, a NATO ally and an active partner in the fight against the Islamic State, has all but denied the guards’ role in the skirmish. Several videos show the guards, many with pistols under their jackets, beating protesters. |
| State Department documents show the United States government would authorize Sig Sauer, the New Hampshire-based firearms maker, to sell some 1,600 semiautomatic pistols to a Turkish government-controlled intermediary, which in turn would sell them to the agency tasked with protecting the president. | State Department documents show the United States government would authorize Sig Sauer, the New Hampshire-based firearms maker, to sell some 1,600 semiautomatic pistols to a Turkish government-controlled intermediary, which in turn would sell them to the agency tasked with protecting the president. |
| The State Department declined to comment on the proposed sale. Representatives of Sig Sauer and the Turkish Embassy in Washington did not immediately reply to requests for comment. | The State Department declined to comment on the proposed sale. Representatives of Sig Sauer and the Turkish Embassy in Washington did not immediately reply to requests for comment. |
| Under the Arms Export Control Act, the State Department must approve of all weapons exports. The department is required to notify Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate foreign affairs committees if the proposed sale exceeds certain monetary thresholds. In practice, the department does this in an effort to resolve lawmakers’ concerns before an intended sale becomes public. | Under the Arms Export Control Act, the State Department must approve of all weapons exports. The department is required to notify Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate foreign affairs committees if the proposed sale exceeds certain monetary thresholds. In practice, the department does this in an effort to resolve lawmakers’ concerns before an intended sale becomes public. |
| In this case, the department gave the congressional leaders informal notification of the proposed sale on May 15, a letter obtained by The New York Times shows. | In this case, the department gave the congressional leaders informal notification of the proposed sale on May 15, a letter obtained by The New York Times shows. |
| “The United States government is prepared to license the export of these items having taken into account political, military, economic, human rights and arms control considerations,” Mary K. Waters, the acting assistant secretary for legislative affairs, wrote in the letter. | “The United States government is prepared to license the export of these items having taken into account political, military, economic, human rights and arms control considerations,” Mary K. Waters, the acting assistant secretary for legislative affairs, wrote in the letter. |
| The next day, after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey was welcomed to the White House by President Trump, several of his guards unleashed a violent attack on the protesters who had gathered outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence to protest Mr. Erdogan. Video shows Mr. Erdogan watch the scene play out, as nearly a dozen people were injured, some seriously. | The next day, after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey was welcomed to the White House by President Trump, several of his guards unleashed a violent attack on the protesters who had gathered outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence to protest Mr. Erdogan. Video shows Mr. Erdogan watch the scene play out, as nearly a dozen people were injured, some seriously. |
| In the days after the brawl, at least one of the lawmakers, Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, wrote back to the department expressing concern about the sale. The State Department never replied, his spokesman said, but concerns raised during the informal review process are generally taken seriously by the department. | In the days after the brawl, at least one of the lawmakers, Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, wrote back to the department expressing concern about the sale. The State Department never replied, his spokesman said, but concerns raised during the informal review process are generally taken seriously by the department. |
| Given Mr. Cardin’s stature, and the attention the attack has received on Capitol Hill, his objection could potentially stall the licensing process or even prompt the State Department to cancel the sale rather than risk a potentially bruising fight with lawmakers. | Given Mr. Cardin’s stature, and the attention the attack has received on Capitol Hill, his objection could potentially stall the licensing process or even prompt the State Department to cancel the sale rather than risk a potentially bruising fight with lawmakers. |
| If the State Department were to proceed, issuing a formal notification to Capitol Hill that it intended to sign off on the sale, lawmakers would have 15 days to intervene. | If the State Department were to proceed, issuing a formal notification to Capitol Hill that it intended to sign off on the sale, lawmakers would have 15 days to intervene. |
| The State Department issued a series of statements condemning the attack in its immediate aftermath. And Thomas A. Shannon Jr., the under secretary of state for political affairs, summoned the Turkish ambassador, Serdar Kilic, to his office the next day. In a series of public statements, the department did not mention the proposed gun sales. | The State Department issued a series of statements condemning the attack in its immediate aftermath. And Thomas A. Shannon Jr., the under secretary of state for political affairs, summoned the Turkish ambassador, Serdar Kilic, to his office the next day. In a series of public statements, the department did not mention the proposed gun sales. |
| But it has been under pressure to do more. Republicans and Democrats in the House together introduced a resolution last week condemning the attack. They called for the security officials involved to be charged and prosecuted — a sentiment that was echoed in the Senate. | But it has been under pressure to do more. Republicans and Democrats in the House together introduced a resolution last week condemning the attack. They called for the security officials involved to be charged and prosecuted — a sentiment that was echoed in the Senate. |
| The proposed sale has been in the works for months. The letter to lawmakers shows that sale had won clearance from a wide range of State Department offices, the National Security Council and the Defense Department, among others. | The proposed sale has been in the works for months. The letter to lawmakers shows that sale had won clearance from a wide range of State Department offices, the National Security Council and the Defense Department, among others. |
| The guns are all semiautomatic pistols, though the order consists of several different models. If licensed, they would formally be purchased by the Mechanical and Chemical Industry Company, which the State Department describes as a Turkish-controlled group authorized to resell the weapons to the Department of Security of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey. That group, the State Department notes, is charged with protecting the president. | The guns are all semiautomatic pistols, though the order consists of several different models. If licensed, they would formally be purchased by the Mechanical and Chemical Industry Company, which the State Department describes as a Turkish-controlled group authorized to resell the weapons to the Department of Security of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey. That group, the State Department notes, is charged with protecting the president. |
| It is unclear if the Turkish security force has made purchases from American arms manufacturers in the past. It is not unusual, though, for the United States to authorize similar sales to law enforcement or security forces around the world, and Turkey is one of the most prolific purchasers of American arms. | It is unclear if the Turkish security force has made purchases from American arms manufacturers in the past. It is not unusual, though, for the United States to authorize similar sales to law enforcement or security forces around the world, and Turkey is one of the most prolific purchasers of American arms. |
| Video taken during the skirmish shows many of the guards were armed with handguns, though the make of the weapons is unclear. An analysis of videos and photos by The New York Times showed that at least 24 men, most of them Turkish security officials, were involved in the attack. | Video taken during the skirmish shows many of the guards were armed with handguns, though the make of the weapons is unclear. An analysis of videos and photos by The New York Times showed that at least 24 men, most of them Turkish security officials, were involved in the attack. |
| The run-in in May was not the first time Mr. Erdogan’s bodyguards have been involved in violence while visiting the United States. In 2011, they were in a fight at the United Nations with United Nations security that sent at least one officer to the hospital. And just last year, the police and members of Mr. Erdogan’s security team clashed with demonstrators outside the Brookings Institution here. |