Kenya's US lobbyists work for Mubarak too
Two powerful Washington lobbying firms retained by the Kenyan government are also being paid to represent the embattled Egyptian government of Hosni Mubarak.
Disclosure forms on file with the US Justice Department show that the Moffett Group and CLS & Associates, both under contract with Kenya, lobby Congress and the Obama administration on behalf of Egypt as well.
The firm headed by former US Congressman Toby Moffett is part of a consortium known as PLM Group that has been paid more than US$4 million to represent the Egyptian government in Washington, records show.
The Mubarak regime is likewise paying CLS & Associates US$45,000 per month for public relations work under the terms of a 2009 contract, the filings reveal.
Kenya is meanwhile spending more than US$2 million for image-building efforts jointly undertaken in the United States by the Moffett Group and CLS & Associates.
Undemocratic
The Moffett Group played a key role last year in blocking a move in the US Senate to condemn the Mubarak government's human rights violations and undemocratic policies.
It is “an honour to serve Egypt,” Mr Moffett told the Washington Post at that time.
Egypt is one of the world's largest recipients of US military aid and other forms of assistance, which altogether total about US$1.5 billion a year.
The Moffett Group and CLS & Associates are among the most prominent players in the multimillion-dollar Washington lobbying industry.
Governments such as Kenya and Egypt routinely hire insiders such as Mr Moffett and the principals in CLS & Associates to advance their interests in Washington, regardless of whether it is the Democratic or Republican party that holds power in the White House and on Capitol Hill.
CLS is headed by former officials of both the main US political parties. Robert Chlopak worked as director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, while Charles Leonard had been campaign director for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
