[Mb-civic] Fw: K Street Lobbyists Carry Water for OPEC

[Harold Sifton]

> K Street Lobbyists Carry Water for OPEC
>
> Washington, DC, September 22, 2004 -- The Center for Public Integrity --
> as part of its ongoing series on "The Politics of Oil"-- today released
> a four-part update which focuses on the Organization of Petroleum
> Exporting Countries (OPEC) and their lobbying activities in the past
> year.
>
> Since mid-2003, OPEC members have spent at least $13.3 million in
> lobbying the U.S. federal government and currying favor with the
> American public, the studies show. Some of the highlights of the
> reports:
>
> * Politicos in Iraq, such as Ayad Allawi and Adnan Pachachi of the Iraqi
> Governing Council, have all hired their own K Street advocates;
>
> * Saudi Arabia has battled against post-9/11 spin, spending $6.6 million
> since mid-2003 in lobbying the U.S. government, more than any of the
> other 10 members of OPEC;
>
> * Former Senator Bob Dole is the leading lobbyist for Indonesia in
> protecting the interests of Pertamina, the country's
> state oil company;
>
> * Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's representatives have wooed
> grassroots activists in the U.S. and spent more than $1.6 million
> lobbying the U.S. government since mid-2003.
>
> To read the reports, log on to www.publicintegrity.org.
>
> Nathan Kommers
> Center for Public Integrity
> 910 17th St. NW
> Washington, DC  20006
> ph: 202-481-1221
>
>
> To read the full report go to http://www.publicintegrity.org
>
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