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To: U.S. Congress

Congress: Don't Meet With Dictator Lobbyists

Dictators are spending millions of dollars on lobbyists in Washington DC. They want US weapons, military funding and diplomatic support. US Senators and Members of Congress must refuse to meet with any lobbyist or advisor who works for a dictator.

Why is this important?

The US government supports seven of nine dictatorships across the Middle East. Many of these dictators -- and other brutal governments -- hire lobbyists, public relations experts and advisors to help influence US politicians and shape the American mind.

Here are some terrible examples:

- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's former chief of staff Nadeam Elshami is now a lobbyist for Egypt's dictator.

- Former Republican US senator Norm Coleman is a lobbyist for Saudi Arabia's dictatorship. His firm, Hogan Lovells, has received almost $14 million from the Saudi monarchy since 2014.

- Former Republican Member of Congress Ed Royce is also now a lobbyist for Egypt's dictator.

- And former Republican Member of Congress Howard “Buck” McKeon and his firm have made over $2 million from lobbying for Saudi Arabia’s dictatorship since 2016.

These former elected officials and congressional staff earn vast amounts of money supporting the very dictators and oil monarchies that make life miserable for people across the planet.

US representatives and senators must refuse to meet with lobbyists, advisors, and public relations experts who work for dictators or apartheid governments.

SOURCES:

1) Middle East dictatorships backed by the U.S.: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman.

2) “Egypt assembles bipartisan lobbying team for post-Trump era,” Julian Pecquet, Middle East Eye, November 11, 2020, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/egypt-assembles-bipartisan-lobbying-team-post-donald-trump-era

3) “Biden Should Stop Payment on U.S. Funds To Sisi's Egypt,” Medea Benjamin and Ariel Gold, Common Dreams, February 12, 2021, https://www.commondreams.org/views/2021/02/12/biden-should-stop-payment-us-funds-sisis-egypt

4) “Norm Coleman: Former U.S. Senator Now Lobbyist and Agent for the Saudi Government,” Democracy for the Arab World Now, October 22, 2021, https://dawnmena.org/norm-coleman-former-u-s-senator-now-lobbyist-and-agent-for-the-saudi-government/

5) “Egypt assembles bipartisan lobbying team for post-Trump era,” Julian Pecquet, Middle East Eye, November 11, 2020, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/egypt-assembles-bipartisan-lobbying-team-post-donald-trump-era

6) “Buck McKeon and Firm Made Over $2 Million Lobbying for Saudi Government,” October 15, 2021, Democracy for the Arab World Now, https://dawnmena.org/buck-mckeon-and-firm-made-over-2-million-lobbying-for-saudi-government/

How it will be delivered

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Updates

2022-02-09 15:20:21 -0500

5,000 signatures reached

2022-02-08 18:56:18 -0500

1,000 signatures reached

2022-02-08 18:41:19 -0500

500 signatures reached

2022-02-07 16:13:15 -0500

100 signatures reached

2022-02-07 14:42:38 -0500

50 signatures reached

2022-02-07 14:22:41 -0500

25 signatures reached

2022-02-07 14:18:08 -0500

10 signatures reached