Russian Ties
Following Mitch's Money, Presentation by Doug Price on September 14th, 2020
I thought it would be interesting to select a lobbying firm that I expect has been able to influence Mitch McConnell. Then, talk about how lobbying is supplemented by donations from those firms who pay lobbying firms to help them obtain the legislation they desire for their businesses.
I am certain most of you have heard of the Six degrees of separation — the idea that all people are six, or fewer, social connections away from each other. Also known as the 6 Handshakes rule. As a result, a chain of “a friend of a friend” statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps.
It is easy to connect Mitch to lobbying firms as these companies are hired by companies to talk to politicians to obtain favorable outcomes for the companies that hire lobbyists.
I selected a firm that has been in headlines lately primarily due to its involvement in some high-profile situations.
Mercury Public Affairs. From their website: Mercury is a high-stakes public strategy firm. We provide results for the world’s most successful companies, leading advocacy groups, governments, political parties, NGOs, and prominent public and political figures. Mercury has 22 offices, scattered around the globe and employs 172 experts.
One of the partners is David Vitter from Louisiana. Mr. Vitter served first in the US House and then was elected to the US Senate. He resigned but is still involved in politics but on the lobbying side of the equation.
Mitch and his wife and her dad, along with other Chaos were contributors to Vitter while he was in political office.
Vitter has ties to Mitch and to Russia as he was among foreign agents paid to ease sanctions on Oleg Deripaska.
Let us bring Trump into this 6 degrees of separation circle: Trump nominated Vitter’s wife to a federal judgeship in 2018. Mitch pushed that nomination through the Senate and Ms. Vitter is now serving as a federal judge in Louisiana.
During the 2020 election cycle Mercury has spent $4.30 million lobbying Congress on behalf of 72 clients and spent over $9,000,000 in 2019.
The following clients of Mercury also made contributions to Mitch McConnell: Altria almost $100,000, KKR & Co over $120,000, and BlueCross/Blue Shield over $84,000. The combination of paying lobbying firms, companies donating money to Congressional leaders and individuals within those entities creates good legislation for Big Business.
Here is another 6 degrees of separation connection that intrigues and fascinates me: In May 2018, Lord Gregory Barker of Battle, a member of the British House of Lords and chairman of En+ Group — a Russian energy company formerly controlled by Deripaska — inked a six-figure-per-month contract with Mercury Public Affairs to lobby for the removal of U.S. sanctions imposed for Deripaska’s role in Russian interference in the 2016 election.
At the crux of the operation is former Sen. David Vitter. Despite a two-year “cooling off” period that restricts Senators from immediately lobbying their colleagues under the Lobbying Disclosure Act, Vitter is still able to lobby other key figures in the Trump administration.
Vitter received 12 reported disbursements from Barker in June and July 2018, eight of which were for client meetings. In April, Vitter had several meetings with State Department and Treasury Department officials briefing them on Barker’s situation. One would think US Treasury Secretary Mnuchin was involved in this 6 degrees of separation circle and possibly US Secretary of State Pompeo.
Vitter was not the only big-name Mercury enlisted to beef up their lobbying efforts for the sanctioned companies. Mercury also brought on former Trump campaign aide Bryan Lanza.
Both Mercury and Deripaska have come under scrutiny by federal prosecutors in New York over ties to former Trump campaign chair, Paul Manafort’s influence operations benefiting the Russian government and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Retroactive FARA disclosures revealed the group has a tight relationship with the European Center for a Modern Ukraine, a nonprofit believed by U.S. officials to be linked to pro-Russia Ukrainian politicians.
Due to this, Mercury is also tangentially tied to the Braidy aluminum plant in the Greenup/Ashland KY area as Deripaska owned Rusal and was required to relinquish ownership as part of the deal to reduce sanctions.
https://www.braidy.com/fostering-a-new-era-braidy-industries-ceo-ready-to-grind-it-out-get-it-done/
The Braidy Aluminum plant is on hold and the forecast is not great that this plant will ever be built. It is notable that in August 2020 the new CEO pledged that dirt would be moved starting in December 2020.
Thanks to former Governor Matt Bevin the Commonwealth owns stock in this venture.
We know from previous discussions that Mitch is most concerned about money. Russian oligarchs, Russian citizens with dual US citizenship, lobbyist, big business, lobbying firms all know that the way to Mitch is money. Seemingly Mitch is involved in all their circles because it is politically expedient. One can surmise why Mitch earned the nickname Moscow Mitch.
I propose this is detrimental to We The People and believe we need to Retire Mitch on November 3, 2020!
Doug Price is a member/treasurer of the MMRC and a regular participant on the #MoscowMitchMonday live stream, discussing Mitch and Money. Doug is an advocate of governmental change on the State/Federal level and has periodically worked on Democratic campaigns dating back to the 80s. Follow Doug on Twitter @ PriceDoug
