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Thursday, September 7th, 2023

How a high-powered lobbying firm worked to shield a Putin-tied oligarch from sanctions

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Publication Date:     09/01/2023 04:30 AM EDT
 Link: How a high-powered lobbying firm worked to shield a Putin-tied oligarch from sanctions
Stephan:  

This is the true measure of the corruption that fatally infects conservative American politics. The lobbyist world on the right, as this story outlines, has no ethics, no patriotism, no allegiance to the wellbeing of the United States. This is the evil result of Citizens United that legalized bribery of politicians. And yet, do you hear any but a few voices, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, seeking to end this? You do not.

That Russian businessman, Petr Aven was recently sanctioned by the U.S. in August along with his associate. But the story of their efforts to stave off punishment is one of classic Washington influence peddling. Credit: Alfa-Bank Russia via Wikimedia Commons

Weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation targeting dozens of prominent Russian officials and others for potential sanctions. The Biden administration moved to issue penalties against a number of them.

But two wealthy Russian businessmen who were on the original target list escaped the financial penalties. And the pair shared something in common: Their investment group employed a well-connected D.C. lobbying shop, BGR, which held backchannel conversations with congressional staff about the sanctions green lit through legislation dubbed the Putin Accountability Act.

Among the oligarchs’ advocates was Daniel Hoffman, a Fox News contributor and former CIA Moscow chief. Hoffman had been publicly critical of Vladimir Putin. But in this instance, Hoffman, a member of BGR’s advisory board, went to bat for a Russian businessman 

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1 Comment

  1. Albus Eddie on Thursday, September 7, 2023 at 6:09 am

    As the article states: “Among the oligarchs’ advocates was Daniel Hoffman, a Fox News contributor and former CIA Moscow chief. Hoffman had been publicly critical of Vladimir Putin. But in this instance, Hoffman, a member of BGR’s advisory board, went to bat for a Russian businessman whom the E.U. designated “one of Vladimir Putin’s closest oligarchs.”

    So, I ask with a chuckle, now that we know that the corruption extends to the CIA what will be done about it?