Silberstein valley

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Silberstein valley (center)

Tal Silberstein (born October 13, 1969 , officially also Tal Zylbersztejn ; Hebrew טל זילברשטיין) is an Israeli political advisor and entrepreneur and one of the founders and managing directors of GCS Issue Management Ltd. in Israel. The company was dissolved on February 21, 2017. The establishment of a GCS office in Vienna by Stan Greenberg , James Carville and Bob Shrum with Silberstein as head was not pursued further due to the defeat of the SPÖ in the national elections in Austria in 2002 .

In Austria, for him that is Silberstein affair designated a concerted political Dirty Campaigning during the national elections in Austria in 2017 by the Federal Vice-border Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPO), together with her in charge, known for this election method policy advisers led by Silberstein . After the Silberstein affair, he announced that he was no longer interested in political consulting.

Life

Silberstein has a degree in Industrial Engineering at the University of Tel Aviv completed. His thesis (2004) is listed in the Israeli library catalog ULI , which includes all academic libraries in the country. It deals with the role of the Israeli soldiers in Israeli literature. In addition, Silberstein published a treatise on a similar topic in 2009.

On early versions of the GCS Issue Management Ltd. homepage Silberstein is named as a member of the Special Forces recognized by the Israeli President .

Silberstein became politically active for the first time through the peace movement Dor Shalem Doresch Shalom (A whole generation calls for peace) after the murder of Yitzchak Rabin for the implementation of the Oslo peace treaties . He has been married to Natalie Silberstein since 2006.

activity

In the US documentary Our Brand Is Crisis (2005) , Silberstein explained the methodology of negative campaigns using the example of the Bolivian election campaign in 2002, where he supported the candidate and then President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada as an advisor :

“In times of crisis like this, people look for hope. Many of them - with the exception of your followers - turn to the new candidate. We can't leave this feeling like that. We have to change the dynamic. We have to start negative campaigns against him. We need to change him from a clean candidate to a dirty one. That is our task. [...] Everything you do must in no way be associated with us. "

- Tal Silberstein, 2005

Silberstein advised the former Prime Ministers of Israel Ehud Barak , Ehud Olmert and others as well as Julija Tymoshenko , ex-Prime Minister of Ukraine. He was also a long-time advisor to the Romanian ex-Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu , the former Romanian President Traian Băsescu during his tenure as Lord Mayor of Bucharest, the Prime Minister Adrian Năstase and for the ex-Prime Minister Victor Ponta .

In the SPÖ's election campaigns from 2001 onwards, he was an advisor to Michael Häupl , Alfred Gusenbauer , Werner Faymann and Christian Kern until this collaboration was ended on August 14, 2017, a few hours after Silberstein was temporarily suspected of money laundering and fraud in Israel had been arrested.

Austrian lotteries

With the Maltese fund company Novia Fund Management Limited, which is attributable to Silberstein, and Alfred Gusenbauer as non-executive director, Silberstein wanted to invest in the video lottery terminal business operated by Austrian Lotteries . After the casino group dropped out of negotiations in April 2015, Silberstein sued. A settlement was agreed and he was paid € 250,000.

Timber industry

Due to his expertise in Romania, Silberstein was hired as a consultant for Holzindustrie Schweighofer GmbH , which was associated with illegal logging in Eastern Europe . His consulting contract was concluded from March to December 2017 with a fee of € 35,000 per month. The contract was terminated at the end of September 2017 because Silberstein "could no longer provide the agreed services."

State and municipal council elections in Vienna 2015

The NEOS advised Silberstein in the state assembly and local elections in Vienna in 2015 for free, which caused surprise.

National Council election campaign in Austria 2017

Until his arrest on August 14, 2017, Silberstein worked in Israel as an election advisor to the SPÖ on suspicion of bribery , forgery of documents and money laundering . After his arrest, extensive internal SPÖ election campaign documents were made public, which determined the further election campaign and pushed issues into the background.

At the core of the affair, an attempt was made to turn the “extremely high level of popularity” of Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP), who was considered the most promising candidate for the office of Chancellor, into the opposite. For this purpose, the anonymous Facebook pages Wir für Sebastian Kurz and The Truth about Sebastian Kurz were run under false authorship . The page The Truth about Sebastian Kurz suggested authorship by politically far-right, FPÖ-affiliated forces and partly used racist , anti-Semitic and xenophobic schemes . This should damage both Kurz and the Freedom Party of Austria . The alleged pro-Kurz page We for Sebastian Kurz brought the ÖVP into need of explanation because surveys were published there as to whether Austria should “put up with” the fact that NGOs allegedly threatened to bring “tens of thousands of migrants” from Italy into the country, and whether the Brenner Pass should be closed. The General Secretary of Caritas Vienna , Klaus Schwertner , also found the site to be authentic. Schwertner later apologized for his criticism of Kurz. Only after the involvement of Silberstein became known were the incriminated Facebook pages taken offline and the SPÖ federal manager and campaign manager Georg Niedermühlbichler resigned.

Chancellor Kern denied having known about the events. Chancellery Minister Thomas Drozda tried to get Silberstein , who was under house arrest in Israel, to give interviews in Austrian newspapers. Silberstein confirmed that Kern did not know anything about his joint activities with the Austrian political advisor Peter Puller and that the SPÖ election campaign manager Paul Pöchhacker, who was suspected of involvement, had only provided informal content. In fact, after Silberstein's arrest, Pöchhacker instructed Puller that the pages should remain online for the time being, otherwise the connection to Silberstein would be seen immediately. Pöchhacker was then suspended .

The Silberstein affair forced the SPÖ to disclose its agreements with Silberstein. The fees totaled 536,000 euros, with Silberstein stating that he had paid less than 100,000 euros for the operation of the Facebook pages out of pocket without the knowledge of the SPÖ. The SPÖ reserved legal steps against Silberstein, Puller and Pöchhacker. In February 2018, the SPÖ declared that reclaiming Silberstein was too expensive and legally hopeless. Pöchhacker has since left the federal party by mutual agreement . Pöchacker and his company have been working for the SPÖ again since April 2018.

The two journalists who had the Silberstein affair revealed, were made in mid October 2017 points out that they shadowed would. The Vienna State Office for the Protection of the Constitution is pursuing evidence of an Israeli security company.

Criminal proceedings

From January 13, 2017, a case against Tal Silberstein, the billionaire Beny Steinmetz and numerous other defendants was conducted in Romania , because the state is said to have incurred damage of 145 million euros in a real estate deal , according to another source 160 million. By presenting the indictment in May 2016, called National Anticorruption Directorate , the imposition of pre-trial detention in absentia over Silberstein, mason and a third defendant because they had withdrawn from the process. According to press research, the arrest warrant was rejected in Romania. Silberstein and Steinmetz were acquitted.

The Israeli police has on the morning of August 14, 2017 a large-scale raid arrested five people, in addition to Silberstein, among other Beny Steinmetz and the acting head of the telecommunications company Bezeq , David Granot, on suspicion of money laundering in the billions, the bribery , the forgery and others. According to the Romanian broadcaster Antena 3, Silberstein is said to have bribed the President of Guinea, from whom Steinmetz and Silberstein are said to have received a diamond mine worth billions.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Comrade Offshore. In: addendum.org. September 22, 2018, accessed September 24, 2018 .
  2. ↑ היועץ הפוליטי טל זילברשטיין יספק שירותי ייעוץ לראש ממשלת הונגריה. Retrieved February 16, 2004 (Hebrew). GCS Issue Management Limited (03867498). Companies House , accessed October 3, 2017 .
  3. ^ Thomas Hofer : Spin Doctors in Austria. The Practice of American Campaign Advisors. What they can do, whom they advise, how they work . 1st edition. LIT , Vienna 2005, ISBN 3-8258-8645-X , p. 128 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
  4. ↑ a b Josef Redl, Barbara Tóth : From the greatest election campaign scandal in history to the Causa finita . In: Falter . No. 6 , February 7, 2018, p. 16, 17 .
  5. ^ A b c Katharina Mittelstaedt, Nina Weißensteiner: Causa Silberstein: Silence is gold . In: The Standard . January 17, 2017, p. 9 ( Online [accessed October 3, 2017] Online title differs from print title).
  6. ↑ http://uli.nli.org.il/F/BFDYSRRDNA47YTQ8ULM1M8DYXB69QHS4MJM3KSS2AKTEEMGN5E-61738?func=full-set-set&set_number=008298&set_entry=000002&format=999
  7. ↑ http://uli.nli.org.il/F/BFDYSRRDNA47YTQ8ULM1M8DYXB69QHS4MJM3KSS2AKTEEMGN5E-00085?func=full-set-set&set_number=008319&set_entry=000002&format=999
  8. ^ GCS International Team. GCS Issue Management Ltd., archived from the original on April 19, 2012 ; accessed on October 13, 2017 (English).
  9. ^ ÖVP and FPÖ call for clarification , ORF.at, August 14, 2017.
  10. ↑ המדריך למסדרונות הכוח - מה מלמדת החתונה של טל זילברשטיין על אולמרט כראש ממשלה. Haaretz , September 6, 2006, accessed July 2, 2019 .
  11. ↑ Silberstein's strategy for negative campaigns. In: The Standard. October 5, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017 .
  12. ^ Juan Forero, The (American) Selling of the (Bolivian) President, 2002 , New York Times, February 26, 2006
  13. ^ Tal Silberstein on Dirty Campaigning. (Video; 38 seconds) YouTube , 2005, accessed on October 8, 2017 (English).
  14. ↑ Israeli Billionaire Beny Steinmetz Detained Over Suspected Bribery, Money-laundering , Haaretz, August 14, 2017.
  15. ↑ Video & first photos of Silberstein's arrest , oe24, August 14, 2017.
  16. ↑ Thomas Hofer , Barbara Tóth (ed.): Election 2013. Power, media, billionaires - analyzes of the National Council election . 2nd Edition. LIT , Vienna 2014, ISBN 978-3-643-50549-1 , p. 19 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
  17. ↑ Florian Ehrgott: What you should know about the Causa Tal Silberstein. In: profile . August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2017 .
  18. ^ Election campaign manager Silberstein arrested , Wiener Zeitung , August 14, 2017 and Austrian Social Democrats Cut Ties With Tal Silberstein, Israeli Political Adviser Linked to Beny Steinmetz , Haaretz, August 14, 2017.
  19. ^ Chancellor advisor Silberstein arrested in Israel! , oe24.at , August 14, 2017.
  20. ↑ Israeli entrepreneur sues Austrian Lotteries. ORF-Online , February 7, 2016, accessed on August 19, 2017 .
  21. ↑ profile: Lotteries paid Silberstein 250,000 euros in damages. In: APA-OTS . August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2017 .
  22. ↑ Gernot Bauer : “Good question” . In: profile . No.  39 , September 25, 2017, p. 22 ( Extract [accessed on October 2, 2017] online title differs from print title).
  23. ↑ Schweighofer also parted ways with Silberstein. DerStandard.at , October 13, 2017, accessed on October 14, 2017 .
  24. ↑ Thomas Prior, Ulrike Weiser: The Neos bring a spin doctor and SPÖ expert. Die Presse , May 22, 2015, accessed October 1, 2017 .
  25. ↑ Christian Böhmer: SPÖ again lost a consultant . In: Courier . August 14, 2017, p. 2 ( Online [accessed on October 27, 2017] Online title: SPÖ: Wahlkampfberater Silberstein arrested).
  26. ↑ Peter Temel, Raffaela Lindorfer: Embarrassing SPÖ mails: First trace leads to ex-advisor Silberstein . In: Courier . September 12, 2017, p. 4 ( Online [accessed October 31, 2017]).
  27. ↑ Claus Pándi : Little joy with the coalition - but the majority does not want new elections . In: Kronen Zeitung . December 11, 2016, p.  2 ( Online [accessed November 2, 2017]).
  28. ↑ Kern leads with party leaders, but clearly behind Kurz. Kronen Zeitung , November 18, 2016, accessed on November 2, 2017 .
  29. ↑ Barbara Tóth , Florian Klenk , Josef Redl, Nina Horaczek : The Silberstein Affair. In: Falter . October 2, 2017, accessed on October 3, 2017 (online version: "This text is an updated version of the print history.").
  30. ↑ Gernot Bauer , Michael Nikbakhsh: Filth layer work . In: profile . No.  40 , October 9, 2017, p. 18-20, 23-24 .
  31. ^ Christian Böhmer: Turquoise fans or red magic hat . In: Courier . July 22, 2017, p. 3 ( online [accessed October 2, 2017] online title differs from print title).
  32. ↑ Reactions to the SPÖ negative campaign: "Horrified", "Insanity". In: Upper Austrian news . September 30, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2017 .
  33. ^ Gernot Bauer : SPÖ adviser Silberstein organized the right Facebook page against Kurz . In: profile . No.  40 , October 2, 2017, p. 18-19 ( online [accessed October 1, 2017]).
  34. ↑ Tal Silberstein and the truth about the dirt bucket campaigns of the SPÖ. Die Presse , September 30, 2017, accessed on September 30, 2017 .
  35. ↑ bang: SP national manager Niedermühlbichler resigns. In: The Standard . September 30, 2017, accessed October 1, 2017 .
  36. ↑ Claus Pándi : For Kern & Co., everyone else is to blame . In: Kronen Zeitung . October 3, 2017, p.  2 (Styria edition): “Yesterday the few crisis managers in the SPÖ, headed by Chancellery Minister Thomas Drozda, tried to halfway contain the damage caused by Chancellor Kern. Among other things, Tal Silberstein is now to give interviews in Austrian newspapers in which the long-time acquaintance of former Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, who is under house arrest in Israel, declares that he organized the dirty campaigns against Kurz past Kern or behind his back. "
  37. ↑ Stefan Melichar: Tal Silberstein: "Chancellor knew nothing". In: News . October 3, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2017 .
  38. ↑ Dirty Campaigning: According to Silberstein, Kern knew nothing about Facebook pages. In: The Standard . October 3, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2017 .
  39. ↑ Christian Böhmer: Silberstein: The SPÖ's relief offensive again wavers . In: Courier . October 4, 2017, p. 2 ( Online - The print article contains a facsimile of the correspondence.): “The correspondence between Pöchhacker (SPÖ) and Puller (Silberstein) shows that Silberstein's team asked what should happen to the underhanded Facebook pages. Pöchhacker's answer: The pages have to stay online for the time being - otherwise you would see the connection between Silberstein and the pages immediately. "
  40. ↑ SPÖ suspends controversial employees. In: oe24.at . October 3, 2017, accessed November 5, 2017 .
  41. ↑ Gerald John: Causa Silberstein: SPÖ suspends alleged liaison man. In: The Standard . October 3, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2017 .
  42. ↑ Günther Oswald: 536,000 euros, but no signed contract . In: The Standard . October 6, 2017, p. 10 ( online [accessed October 6, 2017]).
  43. ^ SPÖ reveals Silberstein contract: normal agency activity. Die Presse , October 5, 2017, accessed on October 6, 2017 .
  44. ^ Anna Thalhammer: Silberstein's role and fees . In: The press . October 6, 2017, p. 1 ( Online [accessed October 11, 2017]).
  45. ↑ Anna Thalhammer : The SPÖ on Silberstein's footsteps . In: The press . February 2, 2018, p.  1 ( Online [accessed February 2, 2018]).
  46. ↑ Ex-Silberstein-Mann works for SPÖ again. In: oe24.at . April 23, 2019, accessed June 30, 2019 .
  47. ↑ Anti-VP-Rundbrief in ÖBB & Agent Alert . In: Courier . October 14, 2017, p.  5 : "According to investigators from the Vienna State Office for the Protection of the Constitution, there are even indications that an Israeli security company is behind it."
  48. ↑ Denials after reporting because of spying . In: Salzburger Nachrichten . No.  239 , October 14, 2017, p. 7 ( Online [accessed on October 14, 2017] Print title differs from online title).
  49. ↑ Valeriu Lazar: Billionaire Beny Steinmetz, investigated in Baneasa Farm file, detained in Israel. In: The Romania Journal . August 14, 2017, archived from the original on December 8, 2018 ; accessed on August 14, 2017 .
  50. ↑ Press Release No. 282 / VIII / 3. National Anti-Corruption Authority , March 10, 2016, accessed November 9, 2017 .
  51. ↑ Press Release No. 654 / VIII / 3. National Anti-Corruption Authority , May 18, 2016, accessed November 9, 2017 .
  52. ↑ Arrest warrant against advisors? ÖVP wants core explanation. In: The press. January 14, 2017, accessed October 1, 2017 .
  53. ↑ lying down? To let! In: profile . No.  27 , 30 June 2019, p. 30 .
  54. ^ ÖVP and FPÖ call for clarification , ORF.at, August 14, 2017
  55. ^ Chancellor advisor Silberstein arrested in Israel! , oe24.at , August 14, 2017 and Israeli Billionaire Beny Steinmetz Detained Over Suspected Bribery, Money-laundering , Haaretz, August 14, 2017.
  56. ↑ Core consultant arrested: It's about diamonds. In: oe24.at . August 14, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2017 .
  57. ↑ Christian Kern's election campaign advisor arrested. In: The world . August 14, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2017 .
personal data
SURNAME Silberstein, valley
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Israeli political advisor and entrepreneur
DATE OF BIRTH October 13, 1969