A friend of former US President Donald Trump, Thomas Barrack, has been charged with impermissible lobbying for the United Arab Emirates. Barrack, who had played a central role in organizing Trump’s inauguration ceremony in 2017, campaigned for the Emirates without disclosing his relationship, the Justice Department said on Tuesday. The 74-year-old was arrested, according to media reports.
Barrack’s clandestine activity as a lobbyist for foreign government policies amounts to a” betrayal “of his U.S. contacts,” including the former president, ” the justice department said. Barrack and two co-defendants, from April 2016 to April 2018, would have used his friendship and access to the candidate and later President Trump, government agencies and the media to promote foreign interests. Barrack is also charged with obstruction of justice and making false statements.
Strict rules for lobbying
Lobbying for foreign interests is not punishable in the US per se, but there are precise rules for mandatory disclosure of such activity. Violations can be charged with up to five years in prison. “American citizens have a right to know when foreign governments, or their agents, are trying to influence our government,” said William Sweeney, a senior federal law enforcement official. This is all the more true in an election year, he added.
According to the indictment, Barrack was an “informal adviser” to Trump in 2016, as of November, Barrack, known as a major party donor, was in charge of organizing the inauguration in Washington. The investor is one of Trump’s oldest, best friends. An important part of his role was soliciting donations – he drummed up $ 107 million.
“As of January 2017, Barrack informally advised senior U.S. government officials on issues of United States policy in the Middle East,” the indictment said. Barrack – whose grandparents came from Lebanon-had also applied for a post as Middle East envoy after the change of government. In September 2017, Barrack, at the behest of the Emiratis, tried to prevent Trump from convening a summit in Camp David to mediate in the dispute over the blockade of the Gulf states against Qatar. “The summit never took place,” explained the Ministry of Justice.
