How Much Money Has President Taken In Donations From Lobbies
President Biden and his allies raked in campaign cash from a top Russia lobbyist in 2020, just months earlier his administration'southward decision to scrap sanctions on a controversial firm building a Russian oil pipeline to Germany.
Richard Burt, a managing partner at McLarty Associates and a former The states administrator to Germany during the Reagan administration, ponied upwards $4,000 for Joe Biden in October 2020 and dropped another $ten,000 in the lefty-aligned political action committee Unite The Canton in March 2020, FEC records testify.
In addition to violating Biden's ain campaign pledge not to take lobbyist cash, the coin from Burt is particularly noteworthy equally he is currently directly engaged in lobbying activities for Nord Stream 2 AG.
"When Richard Burt donated to Biden Victory Fund, he failed to acknowledge that he was a registered foreign agent and was therefore ineligible to contribute," A Democratic National Commission spokesman told The Post. "Because Burt also listed a unlike employer than on his [Foreign Agents Registration Act] registration, he was not flagged during our vetting process."
The DNC said they had returned the greenbacks on Thursday after The Post's research.
The Switzerland-based Nord Stream 2 — controlled past an ex-Due east German stasi officer and shut marry of Vladimir Putin — is currently engaging in sanctionable activity, according to the Land Department. Team Biden raised eyebrows, however, after failing to enforce sanctions, citing US national interests, Axios reported.
Critics worry the project volition allow Russia dangerous influence over European energy supplies and increase their overall political leverage on the continent.
To build the pipeline, Nord Stream two has partnered with five European energy companies, ENGIE, OMV, Shell, Uniper and Wintershall Dea. Lobbying disclosure forms show that Burt is currently advocating on behalf of all five.
"To protect and further the company'due south interests in the argue over natural gas as an chemical element of European energy security and advise on Russian federation sanctions issues," reads Burt's disclosure for OMV under the area for "specific lobbying bug." The other four offer similar linguistic communication.
"Reading between the lines you tin can clearly run into what that lobbying looks like," Anna Massoglia, an Investigative Researcher at the Center for Responsive Politics told The Post. "While it's not evidence of anything illegal. It'south just something that is evidence of how influence works in Washington."
Burt, a longtime GOP donor, before switching sides in 2019, has long been a fixture in D.C. foreign policy circles. "He carries an air of great knowledge and wisdom and experience and he'southward impressive when you meet him," a former Trump official who dealt with Burt told The Post.
Burt played an early part in advising the Trump campaign'southward foreign policy positions, and fifty-fifty helped the billionaire candidate craft his get-go foreign policy spoken language — something critics immediately leapt on every bit proof of untoward Russian federation connections.
"The revelation of Burt'south lobbying activeness raises new questions near Russian influence in Trump's campaign," blared Politician, which cited extensively Burt's piece of work on Nord Stream two — a projection Trump went on to consistently oppose as president.
"The sum total of Trump's words and actions has just encouraged Russian meddling in our elections," said California Rep. Adam Schiff in August 2020. "Insecure, unscrupulous and transactional, Trump is Putin'due south platonic American president."
In March, 2019, Burt gave a max out $2,800 donation to Schiff shortly subsequently the California Congressman took the reins of the powerful House Intelligence Committee.
Schiff has non commented publicly on the Biden Nord Stream two decision.
Both Burt and reps for Schiff did non respond to request for comment from The Post.
Source: https://nypost.com/2021/05/29/biden-got-cash-from-russia-lobbyist-before-nord-stream-2-giveaway/
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