Mubarak Regime Paid Beltway Insiders Millions To Court The Powerful

[Joanne98]

The dramatic events in Egypt this past week have left a coterie of top Washington lobbyists quietly scurrying to respond to the unexpected developments in the nation they represent, caught off guard by the apparent end to President Hosni Mubarak's long reign.

By some estimates, Egypt spends close to $2 million dollars a year on well-connected emissaries in Washington. The political insiders they hire are formally registered with the U.S. Justice Department as "foreign agents" and they represent a little-known but lucrative niche in the world of Washington lobbying.

Those who have held big-dollar contracts with the Egyptian government include Democratic power broker Tony Podesta and former House Majority Leader Bob Livingston, a Louisiana Republican.

Toby Moffett, a former Democratic congressman from Connecticut who was hired in 2007 by the Egyptian foreign and defense ministries, described to ABC News Tuesday how his firm's routine work on behalf of Mubarak's foreign and defense ministers took a sudden and unexpected turn.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/mubarak-regime-paid-washington-lobbyists-millions/story?id=12811865

[Octafish]

1. Ambassador-Lobbyists

Nice people -- probably includes many of the same names who helped sell America on all these wars we've been having.



Whatever happened to unvarnished truth? Did it vanish along with integrity?

[somone]

2. It's pocket change from the foreign aid money he received from Washington

every year for 30 years

[xchrom]

3. we give him money -- he gives it back to lobbyists.

usa! usa! usa!

[ananda]

5. That is a very corrupt picture of both governments, ours and Egypt's.

nt

[xchrom]

8. Indeed. Nt

[Iterate]

4. Now we know that silence from Congress costs $2m per year.

I wondered why they had suddenly lost the ability to form an opinion.

[L. Coyote]

6. Apparently, they are paying thugs today, to attack the peaceful protests.

Current AJE banners running:

Reports of injuries in clashes between pro- and anti-government supporters.

Men riding horses and camels attack protesters in Tahrir Square.

Opposition says President Mubarak has sent in thugs to break up protests.

Protesters show police ID's seized from some attackers.

***** EGYPT Live Blog ***** Al Jazeera English: Live Stream Feb. 2 *****
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x324590

[Turborama]

7. K&R Thanks for posting!