Lobbyists helping dictators don’t want to look like lobbyists helping dictators

How can you tell when a Washington lobbyist is lying? When he starts talking about his principles.

The New York Times reports:

For years, they have been one of the most formidable lobbying forces in town: the elite band of former members of Congress, former diplomats and power brokers who have helped Middle Eastern nations navigate diplomatic waters here on delicate issues like arms deals, terrorism, oil and trade restrictions.

Just last year, three of the biggest names in the lobbying club — Tony Podesta, Robert L. Livingston and Toby Moffett — pulled off a coup for one of their clients, Egypt. They met with dozens of lawmakers and helped stall a Senate bill that called on Egypt to curtail human rights abuses. Ultimately, those abuses helped bring the government down.

Mr. Moffett, a former congressman from Connecticut, told his old colleagues that the bill “would be viewed as an insult” by an important ally. “We were just saying to them, ‘Don’t do this now to our friends in Egypt,’ ” he recounted.

Now the Washington lobbyists for Arab nations find themselves in a precarious spot, as they try to stay a step ahead of the fast-changing events without being seen as aiding despots and dictators. In Libya, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt and other countries in the region, leaders have relied increasingly on Washington’s top lobbyists and lawyers, paying them tens of millions of dollars. Some consultants are tacking toward a more progressive stance in light of pro-democracy protests, while others are dropping their clients altogether because of the tumult.

In Tunisia, where the earliest revolts energized the regional upheaval in January, the Washington Media Group, a public relations and communications firm, ended its $420,000 image-building contract with Tunis on Jan. 6, soon after reports emerged of violent government crackdowns on demonstrators.

“We basically decided on principle that we couldn’t work for a country that was using snipers on rooftops to pick off its citizens,” said Gregory L. Vistica, the firm’s president, who first announced the decision on Facebook.

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One thought on “Lobbyists helping dictators don’t want to look like lobbyists helping dictators

  1. Norman

    My My, the lobbyists are getting morals? Who would have thought! This is one of the problems with the U.S. Government, too many lobbyists buying influence, while the dilettantes pretend to know what they are doing. As long as the lobbyists can stay in the back ground, then it’s the U.S. Government that takes to hit, which makes the whole country look like a bunch of jerks. I thought Mr. “O”, the yes we can man, spoke of not allowing lobbyists in the halls of congress or employees. I guess that’s another old flip-flop to add to his resume! I wonder how long it’s going to take before this country sees another revolution? Perhaps when the grand kids become voters? How long before lobbyists are banned altogether? Got news for the Congressmen & women, the grand kids vote now, so get ready, the future is here.

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