Saudi Arabia is in the market for a better reputation in Washington, D.C.
In September alone, foreign lobbying disclosure documents show the Saudi government signing deals with PR powerhouse Edelman and lobbying leviathan the Podesta Group, according to recent disclosures.
Edelman, the largest privately owned public relations agency in the world, is known for helping clients win favorable media coverage on mainstream outlets. The Podesta Group is a lobbying firm founded by Tony Podesta, a major fundraiser for the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign.
The new signings are the latest in a year-long hiring spree by the Persian Gulf state as it further builds up its already formidable political arsenal inside the Beltway. The Saudi Arabian Royal Embassy did not respond to a request for comment.
In March, the Saudi Royal Embassy retained two influential lobbying firms, DLA Piper and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman. DLA Piper, for instance, employs a small army of former government officials, including retired U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss and George Mitchell. Also in March, the embassy retained two firms that specialize in analyzing big data for political clients, Targeted Victory and Zignal Labs.
Saudi Arabia’s political operation already includes former Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., who chairs one of the largest Republican Super PACs in the country, as well as the public relations firm MSLGROUP/Qorvis, and Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil company that funds several influential American political groups, including the American Petroleum Institute. Aramco’s U.S. subsidiary, Saudi Refining, is a registered agent of the Saudi government. The government also finances a number of think tanks and universities, and has made contributions to prominent American nonprofits, including the Clinton Foundation.
The Podesta Group contract is with the Center for Studies and Media Affairs at the Saudi Royal Court. The contract, filed in the Justice Department’s foreign lobbying database, says that the firm will provide “public relations” work for the center.
“It is our company policy not to comment further on our work for clients beyond what is required by law and to direct reporters and other interested parties to our clients for any additional information,” said Missi Tessier, a spokesperson for the Podesta Group, when reached for more information about the relationship.
Edelman’s contract calls for the firm to “engage with opinion influencers, establish media engagement opportunities for [sic] principal, and assist in opinion editorial placement” on behalf of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority.
The Saudi regime is currently facing yet another public relations crisis as the Kingdom moves to execute Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, the young nephew of a government critic.
The nation also faces international outcry over the widespread killing of civilians in Yemen. Since March, Saudi Arabia has led a coalition that includes the U.S., U.K., Egypt and several Persian Gulf nations to support the Yemeni government in its war against the Houthi rebels. The Saudi-led coalition has repeatedly attacked schools, hospitals, and other civilian targets, including recent reports of a wedding party that was bombed, killing over 100 people.
Last week, I spoke to a number of lawmakers about Saudi human rights abuses, but found them extremely reluctant to criticize the Kingdom. Disclosures reveal that the lobbying firms that have worked for Saudi Arabia for years communicate frequently with senior members of Congress. Beyond entrenched military and economic ties between Saudi Arabia and the United States, the Kingdom appears to be working to maintain its political clout.
Photo caption: Saudi King Salman meets with President Obama in January.
Jeez, I prefer my corruption so much more simplified, it’s just hard to keep up with all these shenanigans sometimes. I used to laugh at all that 80s and 90s obsession with the Mafia, like they were this amazing, power, impenetrable crime syndicate, I used to just think, hey, those guys are picking up the crumbs from the rich WASP overlord’s dirty table. I love the scene in Casino where the local politico is telling De Niro who the REAL bosses are in town. It is not in me to be that greedy, I get a headache even thinking about it. The 19th Century was a brutal era of colonialisation and resistance. The 20th Century was a horror story of savage world war, mass murder and atrocity. The 21st Century will be Hell on Earth if these people continue with their insanities. I am glad I have no children, just a loving wife.
The Wal-Mart connection for the Edelman group, plus the oil pipeline tie leads directly to the groups belief that they are “Ready for Hillary.” As for Podesta, the Saudis certainly see the opening for influence with a new administration tied to corporate arms sales. Both are lining up their ducks in a row to cash in favors in 2017.
Instead of WASTING “hard earned” $ on PR Saudi Arabia, I would suggest considering the RULE seemingly recognized / acknowledged by Humanity since the beginning of time . . .
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Such a simple, yet powerfully LOGICAL concept . . . worth it’s weight in GOLD!
The Buck most certainly doesn’t ONLY Stop at the “almighty popular opinion” of Washington DC . . . beyond it’s borders there’s a whole global community to which ACTIONS speak much louder than unsubstantiated words!
Some years ago you could tell a good thug by the size of his club. Nothing has changed. Just because thugs are wrapped up in flags of country or religion or territory they still are identified by the size of their club. The club may be words, money, drones or planes of war and armies, they’re still just clubs held by thugs. Morals? we don’t need no stinking morals.
No Foreign government should be allowed to hire money-passing bribe artists – only government-government contact should be permitted.
Of course, Israel would be very unhappy.
Edelman’s Notable Work
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edelman_(firm)#Notable_work
They have petrol.
They have money.
What intelligence do they have?
What intellect do they have ?
What vision do they have?
Now they kill the son of a government critic.
They could well be the political idols for the neo-con warmongers.
The Pentagon probably found their political ideals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s system of governance.
When he was 28 years old, Tony Podesta went to work on the campaign of a man that according to Maureen Steinbruener “admired Madeleine [Albright] and wanted her to succeed. At the same time, he came out of an era in which women did not do things in the world he was in.” (“Madeleine Albright: A Twentieth-Century Odyssey”l Michael Dobbs. pp340-41)
The Podesta firm also represents Wal-Mart who according to the Nation were the victors of a lawsuit where only “? lower federal courts found that the company disproportionately favored men,” “? that affected 1.5 million female Wal-Mart workers.” ? (“The Nation” l September 24, 2015 l The Death of the Class-Action Lawsuit ?l Herman Schwartz)
Wonder if the Podesta firm specializes in sexism.
well they got to hire someone, and our boys are the best, and they get surprise prize of two new fully equipped fighter-bombers for every box of lobbyists they open, though some might accuse them of dumping the lobbyists out on the table, or letting them go soggy in the bowl, just to get the bombers
Just love to see those 28 redacted pages from the 9/11 Commission Report — why are they soooo afraid to allow the public to view them?????
Because they are guilty of something.
Lets be fair here.. its not the Saudis who are refusing to release the documents. Its the US government. The Saudis have time and time again asked for the papers to be released.
Besides, if you are implying that they were involved and that there are some US government officials that are intentionally concealing this information, then the bigger problem is them, not the Saudi government.
“”””””The Saudis have time and time again asked for the papers to be released.””””””
Everything I have read says just the opposite. Could you provide a source on that? Thanks.
Exactly! I’ve told my 34 year old son that when they ssssoooommmmeeeee day release those 28 pages to put it on audio, dig a small tube going down next to my grave, and play those 28 pages loud so I can hear every word.
Oh yeah, I also asked him to send down a schematic of the 1963 “magic bullet”….figuring I can use it to assist in my own extrication from a locked casket buried nine ft deep. Since the schematic, according to the esteemed Warren Commission is magic enough to make a bullet perform a U-turn in midair, surely it can raise me from my grave ….perhaps even…with a shot of Scotch awaiting me. We shall see. I’ll report back.
A quick look at the Saudi Kingdom:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rezvemRMelQ&authuser=0
I see from other comments that many are focusing on the PR and lobbying firms. The first thing you have to realize is that these firms are no different from your corner 7-11: anybody who comes through the door with money in hand is welcomed as a customer. Instead, we need to be focusing on the recipients of their efforts. Which members of Congress, for instance, are becoming in effect agents of a foreign power by accepting the various hospitalities offered at the behest of the Saudis?
We could of course raise the same questions about the lobbying and PR efforts of other Mid-Eastern states, including Egypt (see below) and Israel. What is especially pernicious about the latter is that Americans have been enticed into funding their efforts.
A pigs ear in a silk purse remains a pigs ear. No offense to actual pigs intended.
And no one believes me when I say “follow the money”. ‘Nuff said.
The Podesta Group (Wikipedia):
The Podesta Group has been retained by Wal-Mart, BP and Lockheed Martin.” Other clients include Abdisalam Omer, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, Amgen, Bank Of America, Cherokee Nation (Casinos), Cintas, Covidien, Duke Energy, Egypt, Genentech, General Dynamics, Harrah’s Entertainment, Heineken, Merck, Michelin, National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), National Public Radio (NPR), Nestle, Novartis, Orange County, Florida, Raytheon, Reed Elsevier, Republic of Albania, Republic of Georgia, Sallie Mae, Sunoco, Synthetic Genomics, TJX Companies, Tyco Electronics, Republic of Kenya and United Technologies.
In addition, the Podesta Group acts as a lobbyist for Egypt on U.S. policies of concern, activities in Congress and the Executive branch, and developments on the U.S. political scene generally,’ according to forms filed with the Justice Department in 2009.”
They also received revenue of $900,000 over the last two years from the “European Centre for a Modern Ukraine, a Brussels-based organization sympathetic to Yanukovich and his political party”.
The Podesta Group also carries out public relations work for the government of Azerbaijan for a monthly fee of USD 60,000 plus expenses. According to human rights watchdog organizations, the government of Azerbaijan in mid-2014 has “intensified its already authoritarian crackdown on independent political and other public voices” and has imprisoned at least 40 political activists, human rights defenders, journalists and others “on various trumped-up charges, including drug possession, tax evasion, and even treason.”
Tony Podesta has close political ties to the Democratic Party and the Obama administration. He was the founding president of People for the American Way which was co-founded by Norman Lear in “opposition to the publicized agenda of the Moral Majority” during the 1980s.
Thx for all the info/
Thanks for its acknowledgement.
Thanks much for the information, Karl.
I think I *finally* see why we have been at war in the middle east for 12 years running. 1) Podesta buys influence with powerful american politicians…and … 2) Podesta’s clients are defense contractors, Arab nation-states, Banks and Energy companies. 1 + 2= ?
Mystery solved.
Headline+Picture together looked like the lobbyist the Saudis are hiring is President Obama.
If we spent federal dollars to hire a PR firm to lobby the wealthy jihad supporters in Saudi Arabia, would we say keep going, you are generating lots of profitable fear? Or would they say please stop trying to terrorize us?
According to Wikipedia: Edelman (firm) –
In April 1998 the Los Angeles Times reported that Edelman had drafted a campaign plan to ensure that state attorneys-generals did not join antitrust legal actions against Microsoft. Documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times revealed that the plan included generating supportive letters to the editor, opinion pieces, and articles by freelance writers. USA Today said the plan included, “unusual and some say unethical tactics, including the planting of articles, letters to the editor and opinion pieces to be commissioned by Microsoft’s top media handlers but presented by local firms as spontaneous testimonials”.
In the 2000s, Edelman created a front group called the Working Families for Wal-Mart, which said it was a grassroots organization, but was actually funded by Wal-Mart. It paid two bloggers to travel the country interviewing Wal-Mart employees, one of whom was a senior Edelman employee’s sister. According to The New Yorker, “everyone she talked to was delighted with Wal-Mart”. In 2006, BusinessWeek reported that the public relations effort, which was positioned as a grassroots blog, was actually paid for by Wal-Mart. The New Yorker called it a “blatant example of astroturfing”.
In 2008 Edelman’s work with E.ON, which planned to build a coal power station at Kingsnorth attracted protests at Edelman’s UK headquarters. In 2009, to coincide with the weeklong “Climate Camp” range of protests, a group of naked protestors occupied Edelman’s reception.
Edelman provided crisis communications to News Corporation during the phone hacking scandal. Other clients have included Vidal Sassoon, Red Cross, Cantor Fitzgerald, Royal Dutch Shell, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Starbucks, and the government of Saudi Arabia. It has used front groups to help the American Petroleum Institute reduce the perceived environmental damage caused by oil companies.
Edelman was commissioned by TransCanada Corporation to run campaigns supporting the Keystone XL pipeline, a proposed pipeline to carry tar sands oil from Canada to refineries on the Gulf coast of Texas. Edelman also developed a strategy for the proposed Energy East pipeline intended to carry tar sands oil through Québec, en route to a deep water harbor at Cacouna, Quebec for export abroad in supertankers and to refineries in New-Brusnwick. This resulted in a major controversy when documents leaked to Greenpeace revealed that Edelman had made some unethical proposals to sway public opinion in favor of its client. TransCanada distanced itself from those proposals as soon as the “dirty tricks” were published in the press.
Wow