Republicans Overseas, the organization representing Republican voters living abroad, has issued a statement warning that its country chapters may not use the organization’s name, titles or logos to pursue personal projects, individual political grievances or independent media campaigns.

The statement, issued from Washington, says country chairs have historically had considerable autonomy, but that this autonomy does not extend to activities unrelated to, or undermining, the organization’s mission. Such activities, it says, “should not be construed as representing the organization.” It restates the group’s three priorities: ending double taxation of Americans abroad, mobilizing overseas Republican voters, and promoting President Trump’s domestic and foreign policy agenda. The Board of Governors began discussing organizational changes to improve accountability earlier this year and expects to finalize them in the coming months.

In Albania, the statement comes against the backdrop of activity by Mark Crawford, who heads the local Republicans Overseas chapter. Crawford has used the chapter’s platform to push a range of narratives aligned with Albania’s opposition, going as far as publicly rebuking the Republican administration whose agenda the organization exists to promote.

In September, a post on the Republicans Overseas Albania Facebook page, indexed online under the headline “Republicans Overseas Albania criticizes US diplomacy approach,” attacked “unelected, unaccountable envoys” and called for “a clean sweep in the HR department.” The post and the Republicans Overseas Albania social media accounts have since been removed from public view. Crawford has repeated similar lines on Albanian television, calling on the White House to distance itself from “rogue envoys.”

Most recently, Crawford claimed in a LinkedIn post that an official U.S. visit to Albania had not been approved. Albanian Daily News understands this claim is inaccurate.

A Republicans Overseas source in the United States who is familiar with the situation told a person close to Albanian Daily News that such activity is not permissible, adding that Crawford has not paid his dues in years.