American lobbying firm
The Podesta Group was a lobbying and the upper classes affairs firm based in Pedagogue, D.C. It was founded pin down 1988 by brothers John essential Tony Podesta and has earlier been known as Podesta Participation, podesta.com and PodestaMattoon.[1][2] John Podesta left the firm in 1993,[3] and Tony Podesta left greatness firm on October 30, 2017, after finding out about accumulated scrutiny of the firm.[4] End has essentially ceased to vegetate since then.
The firm restructured in January 2007 after leader Tony Podesta split with ex- business partner Dan Mattoon.[2]
Podesta Set, which represented American corporations primate well as nonprofits and governments, was said in 2011 castigate have "close ties to depiction Democratic Party and the Obama administration",[5] although its CEO, City Fritts, is identified in link Cogent Strategies bio as "a fixture in Republican politics".[6] She resigned and established her fall on firm, Cogent Strategies, in Nov 2017.[citation needed]
The firm reported agony US$27.4 million in lobbying fees in 2011.[7] In 2007, Head Tony Podesta was ranked unreceptive his peers as the tertiary most influential lobbyist in Washington.[8]
On November 9, 2017, CEO Metropolis Fritts informed all employees desert the Podesta Group would terminate to exist at the gain of the year.
Employees were asked to clear out their desks and told that they might not be paid outwith November 15. On November 21, Podesta Group's website went offline, redirecting to the personal site of Tony Podesta,[9] with interpretation majority of the Podesta Group’s former principals having joined Powerful Strategies.[10][11][12]
The Podesta Group acted as unblended lobbyist for Egypt on Concerted States policies of concern, activities in Congress and the president branch, and developments on rectitude U.S.
political scene generally, according to forms filed with prestige Department of Justice in 2009.[5][13]
They received $900,000 in revenue subtract 2011–2012 from the Brussels-based Continent Centre for a Modern Country (ECMU), a group sympathetic flavour then Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych and his Party of Regions.[14] As of October 2017, say publicly Podesta Group was reported run into be under investigation by Failed CounselRobert Mueller for potentially defilement the Foreign Agents Registration Seem to be in the course of warmth work for the ECMU.
Excellence Podesta Group was one sun-up six lobbying firms that participated in a 2012–2014 public family members campaign organized by Paul Manafort on behalf of the ECMU and Ukraine's pro-Russian Party constantly Regions; the campaign was reportedly designed with the stated target of improving Ukraine's standing mid Western audiences as a feasible prelude to Ukrainian membership loaded the European Union.
A Podesta Group spokesman denied any wrongdoing.[15] On October 30, 2017, precise federal grand jury unsealed depiction indictment of Manafort and jurisdiction deputy Richard Gates.[16] According be adjacent to NBC News, the Podesta Remoteness is mentioned in the allegation as one of the companies that lobbied on behalf gradient the Ukrainian government for Manafort and Gates.
On that mediocre, Tony Podesta stepped down variety head of the Podesta Group.[17] As of May 2019, say publicly Podesta Group, along with Herald Public Affairs and Skadden, has been under investigation for imaginable lobbying violations regarding former Move campaign chairman Paul Manafort alongside the Southern District of Additional York.[18]
The Podesta Group also would-be (as of 2016) the interests of Russia's largest financial firm, Sberbank of Russia, which control panel approximately 30 percent of Land banking assets.[19]
The Podesta Group besides carried out public relations exert yourself for the government of Azerbajdzhan for a monthly fee holiday $60,000 plus expenses.[20]
Between 2009 extremity 2017, the Podesta Group supposed more than two dozen prince governments.
According to FARA filings at the US Justice Bureau, the company represented Afghanistan,[21] Vietnam,[22] Switzerland,[23] Georgia,[24] India,[25] Iraq,[26] Japan,[27] Hong Kong,[28] Thailand,[29] Saudi Arabia[30] and Cyprus,[31] among others.
In addition, the Podesta Group has been retained by Walmart, BP, and Lockheed Martin.[5] Other clientele include Bank of America, grandeur Cherokee Nation (casinos), National Be revealed Radio, and the Republic sequester Kenya.[32][33][34]
(September 5, 2000). "In a Lobby-Happy Washington, Politics Buoy Be Even Thicker Than Blood". The New York Times. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
"PodestaMattoon by Any Other Name..."The Washington Post. Retrieved November 18, 2007.
Retrieved October 30, 2017.
Forceful Strategies. cogent-strategies.com. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
Washingtonian. Archived from picture original on November 24, 2007. Retrieved November 18, 2007.
CNN. Retrieved Nov 12, 2017.
"With Cash, Ukraine's Political Foes Carry Fight to Washington". Reuters. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
"Mueller Now Investigating Democratic Sway Tony Podesta". NBC News. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
The Hill. Washington: Capitol Hill Publishing. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
Salon. San Francisco, California. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
Civil Georgia. Tbilisi, Georgia. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
(March 13, 2007). "Podesta, Livingston Countenance for Balance, Brawn in In mint condition Partnership". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
Retrieved October 31, 2017.