Saturday, November 05, 2016

The best lobbying that Saudi money can buy

"The government of Saudi Arabia has deepened its bench of lobbyists as it ramps up pressure on Congress to revise a controversial law that allows family members of 9/11 victims to sue the Saudi government over the 2001 attacks. The Saudis have tapped Rick Hohlt, a longtime GOP strategist and lobbyist, according to documents filed with the Justice Department under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The documents, which were signed Oct. 26, do not explicitly mention the law, Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), and describe Hohlt’s work in generic terms: “provide communications and government relations counsel to support the government of Saudi Arabia in connection with general foreign policy . . . as well as legislative, public policy and media-related activities of interest.” It does not specify a fee or duration of the contract."