More Lebanese lobyying in the US

This is by the Lebanon Renaissance Foundation. And David sent me more (I cite with his permission): " The Lebanese Renaissance Foundation has paid DLA Piper over 1 million in lobbying fees over the last couple of years (making the foundation one of the high-powered law firm's largest customers for lobbying services). Firas Maksad works for DLA Piper and is also the executive director of the LRF. Anyway, the LRF has also been paying former Congressional candidate (IL-10) Jay Footlik a much, much smaller amount for lobbying services. Footlik is a lobbyist, former Clinton WH aide, and Kerry campaign Jewish community liaison. He lived in Israel for a while, and had this to say to the UJA Federation in Toronto about his meeting with some of his 'LRF friends' (the Meow Lebanon [he means the Now Hariri] crowd) in Lebanon over the summer of 2008: "Footlik, who was in Beirut over the summer, said he was surprised by 'how many people were eager and anxious to establish relations with Israel.'" Back to the future, I guess. Is it May 17, 1983 yet? Even funnier is that during Footlik's unsuccessful run for Congress in 2008, an aide to his Republican opponent called Footlik 'anti-Semitic' for attending a DailyKos event in Chicago, which lead Footlik, who might be a dual citizen (his wife is Israeli) to proclaim loudly his Zionist bona fides. In general, I don't really like the dual-citizen accusation, but it would make his presence in Lebanon illegal under Lebanese law. Only in America, I guess." And then this: "This does not change what I sent you earlier, but just to be precise: From the Senate records, it looks like the LRF has paid Footlik (thru DLA Piper) about $120,000 since 2008 (although, of course, the 2009 records are not complete yet). According to those same records, the LRF has paid DLA Piper 1.3 million US. I cannot really tell what Footlik does for the LRF (other than being very well-connected to pols like Kerry, Lieberman, Ackerman (?) etc and Jewish lobbying/fundraising groups). Maybe he helps them coordinate with groups like the AJC in getting congressional resolutions about Lebanon. I really don't know. Here is the breakdown (and documentation) for LRF lobbying: As a DC lobbyist, Footlik is partners with Yuval Rabin, son of who you know whom, and one of the big parts of their lobbying/consulting business is apparently helping Israeli companies do business in the US. I really have no idea if Footlik has made his 'ascent' (aliya) and would now have an Israeli passport, but from his biography, it seems at least possible. Happy holidays -- david
PS: If you post any of this, I insist that you call it Meow Lebanon. That sobriquet is the invention of a Lebanese/Palestinian woman, so you will not be borrowing it from me, the often quintessential 'white man.' I am not yet willing to call it Now Hariri, because I still have my suspicions about whether or not it got US monies (public or public-private or private)."