Saudi Arabia lobby
Encyclopedia
The Saudi Arabia
lobby in the United States
is a collection of lawyers, public relation firms and professional lobbyists paid directly by the government of Saudi Arabia to lobby the public and government of the United States on behalf of the interests of the government of Saudi Arabia.
in Harper's Magazine
details "The Vast Power of the Saudi Lobby". According to MacArthur,
According to Seymour Hirsch the power of Prince Bandar and the Saudi lobby was so great that Bandar effectively joined the Bush administration as a virtual member of the cabinet.
George Washington University
Professor Hossein Askari
blames the "power of the Saudi lobby in Washington" for the failure of the American government to defend the democracy protesters in Bahrain in 2011. According to Askari, "our marriage to the Al-Sauds threatens our (American) national security."
, "No Arab ambassador—perhaps no ambassador—has come close to matching Prince Bandar’s influence in the American capital. At the height of his powers he was indispensable to both sides: in Mr Ottaway’s words, “at once the king’s exclusive messenger and the White House’s errand boy”.
The Prince's "feats" of lobbying legerdemain included securing the purchase of AWACS surveillance aircraft in the teeth of fierce Israeli and congressional opposition, and augmenting his influence with the Reagan administration by quietly supplying $32m to the Contras
in Nicaragua and $10m to anti-communist politicians in Italy.
Major lobbying firms that work as lobbyists in the pay of the Saudi government include Hill & Knowlton
, which has been employed to lobby for Saudi Arabia since 1982. Qorvis
Communications, has worked for Saudi Arabia since the 9/11 attacks, receiving over $60.3 million over the course of a decade. Hogan Lovells
U.S., L.L.P., formerly Hogan & Harston , worked for Saudi Arabia in 2009. The Loeffler Group, LLP, headed by former Congressman Tom Loeffler
of Texas, was paid $10.5 million by the Saudi government during the first decade of the century, and gave Sandler Innocenzi, Inc. $8.9 million. Patton Boggs
, LLP, earned over $3 million from Saudi Arabia for lobbying in the first decade of the century.
The Middle East Policy Council
has received large payments from Saudi Arabia to lobby for the Kingdom, including $1 million in 2007.
A partial list of first that have been paid by Saudi Arabia to lobby the American government includes:
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
lobby in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is a collection of lawyers, public relation firms and professional lobbyists paid directly by the government of Saudi Arabia to lobby the public and government of the United States on behalf of the interests of the government of Saudi Arabia.
Power of the lobby
An article by journalist John R. MacArthurJohn R. MacArthur
John R. "Rick" MacArthur is an American journalist and author of books about US politics. He is the president of Harper's Magazine.- Biography :...
in Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
details "The Vast Power of the Saudi Lobby". According to MacArthur,
According to Seymour Hirsch the power of Prince Bandar and the Saudi lobby was so great that Bandar effectively joined the Bush administration as a virtual member of the cabinet.
George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
Professor Hossein Askari
Hossein Askari (professor)
Hossein Askari was born in Iran and received his elementary and secondary education in the United Kingdom. He then came to the United States where he earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering, attended the MIT Sloan School of Management, and received his Ph.D. in Economics, all at the Massachusetts...
blames the "power of the Saudi lobby in Washington" for the failure of the American government to defend the democracy protesters in Bahrain in 2011. According to Askari, "our marriage to the Al-Sauds threatens our (American) national security."
Role of Bandar bin Sultan
In the assessment of The EconomistThe Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
, "No Arab ambassador—perhaps no ambassador—has come close to matching Prince Bandar’s influence in the American capital. At the height of his powers he was indispensable to both sides: in Mr Ottaway’s words, “at once the king’s exclusive messenger and the White House’s errand boy”.
The Prince's "feats" of lobbying legerdemain included securing the purchase of AWACS surveillance aircraft in the teeth of fierce Israeli and congressional opposition, and augmenting his influence with the Reagan administration by quietly supplying $32m to the Contras
Contras
The contras is a label given to the various rebel groups opposing Nicaragua's FSLN Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction government following the July 1979 overthrow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle's dictatorship...
in Nicaragua and $10m to anti-communist politicians in Italy.
Following the money
In the first decade of the 21st century the Saudis have paid about $100 million to American firms to lobby the American government.Major lobbying firms that work as lobbyists in the pay of the Saudi government include Hill & Knowlton
Hill & Knowlton
Hill & Knowlton is a global public relations company, headquartered in New York City, United States, with 79 offices in 44 countries. Hill & Knowlton was founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1927 by John W. Hill and is today led by Chairman & CEO, Paul Taaffe...
, which has been employed to lobby for Saudi Arabia since 1982. Qorvis
Qorvis
Qorvis Communications is a Washington, D.C. public relations and lobbying firm. Its CEO is Michael Petruzzello.Saudi Arabia hired Qorvis for $14 million dollars a year to improve its image in the wake of the September 11 attacks...
Communications, has worked for Saudi Arabia since the 9/11 attacks, receiving over $60.3 million over the course of a decade. Hogan Lovells
Hogan Lovells
Hogan Lovells is an international law firm co-headquartered in London, United Kingdom and Washington, D.C., United States. It was formed on May 1, 2010 following the merger of Washington-based Hogan & Hartson and London-based Lovells. The two firms' agreement to merge was announced on 15 December...
U.S., L.L.P., formerly Hogan & Harston , worked for Saudi Arabia in 2009. The Loeffler Group, LLP, headed by former Congressman Tom Loeffler
Tom Loeffler
Thomas Gilbert Loeffler is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from central Texas. He was an advisor and fundraiser to the 2008 presidential campaign of U.S...
of Texas, was paid $10.5 million by the Saudi government during the first decade of the century, and gave Sandler Innocenzi, Inc. $8.9 million. Patton Boggs
Patton Boggs
Patton Boggs is a full service law firm and lobbyist headquartered in Washington, D.C. It has more than 600 lawyers and professionals in nine locations in the United States and the Middle East. Patton Boggs specializes in , , , , international and trade law with over 200 international clients from...
, LLP, earned over $3 million from Saudi Arabia for lobbying in the first decade of the century.
The Middle East Policy Council
Middle East Policy Council
The Middle East Policy Council or MEPC is a Washington DC based 5013 non-profit organization that produces analysis and commentary on issues impacting U.S. national interests in the Middle East. It was founded in 1981 under the stated mission to "expand public discussion and understanding of issues...
has received large payments from Saudi Arabia to lobby for the Kingdom, including $1 million in 2007.
A partial list of first that have been paid by Saudi Arabia to lobby the American government includes:
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP: $220,770
- Boland & Madigan, Inc: $420,000
- Burson-Marsteller: $3,619,286.85
- Cambridge Associates, Ltd.: $8,505
- Cassidy & Associates, Inc: $720,000
- DNX Partners, LLC: $225,000
- Dutton & Dutton, PC: $3,694,350
- Fleishman-Hillard: $6,400,000
- Gallagher Group, LLC: $612,337.37
- Iler Interests, LP: $388,231.14
- Loeffler Tuggey Pauerstein Rosenthal, LLP: $2,350,457.12
- Loeffler, Jonas & Tuggey, LLP: $1,260,000
- MPD Consultants, LLP: $1,447,267.13
- Powell Tate, Inc: $900,732.77