Two well-connected political consultants have been accused of providing false information about their lobbying work on behalf of a wealthy Persian Gulf country during the Trump administration, according to recently unsealed court records from the Justice Department.
The charging documents, filed in federal court in Washington, allege that Barry P. Bennett, an adviser to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, led a covert and profitable lobbying campaign with the aim of advancing the interests of a foreign country. This campaign involved denigrating a rival nation.
Although the documents do not explicitly name the country in question, the description provided aligns with Qatar. In 2017, Bennett’s company received $2.1 million from Qatar for their lobbying efforts, as revealed in a 2020 subpoena issued by the Justice Department.
According to federal prosecutors, Barry Bennett’s consulting company failed to disclose its involvement in the creation of Yemen Crisis Watch, which received support from prominent televangelist Robert Schuller and former Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer. Additionally, Douglas Watts, another political consultant working alongside Bennett, allegedly made false statements during interviews with the FBI regarding his knowledge of the public-relations firm’s establishment and activities.
The prosecutors filed two criminal counts against Bennett in an information document, which suggests that the defendant has consented to its filing and indicates that a resolution has been reached between the parties involved. As part of a deferred prosecution agreement, including the payment of a $100,000 fine, the case against Bennett will be dismissed.
The Justice Department has also secured a similar agreement with Douglas Watts, who, according to prosecutors, worked closely with Bennett but failed to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Enacted in 1938 to expose Nazi propaganda within the United States, the Foreign Agents Registration Act requires individuals to disclose any advocacy, lobbying, or public relations work they perform on behalf of a foreign government or political entity to the Justice Department.
Investigation Reveals Covert Operation by Lobbying Company
A recent investigation has shed light on a covert operation conducted by a lobbying company on behalf of Qatar’s embassy. The lawyer representing Bennett, the owner of Avenue Strategies, which had been contracted for lobbying work, did not respond to messages seeking comment. Similarly, Watts’s lawyer declined to provide a statement on Tuesday evening.
According to the Justice Department, Bennett signed a contract in 2017 with Qatar’s embassy, engaging his company to perform lobbying services. Simultaneously, he registered as a lobbyist for the embassy. However, prosecutors uncovered an undisclosed agenda where Bennett operated a separate entity named Yemen Crisis Watch. This company aimed to tarnish the reputation of one of Qatar’s unnamed rivals while improving Qatar’s standing with the U.S. government. Notably, critics argue that both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates’ military operations in Yemen have contributed to a humanitarian crisis.
Earlier reports from reputable sources mentioned the involvement of notable figures such as televangelist Robert Schuller and former Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer with Yemen Crisis Watch’s initiatives. It is important to note that neither of these individuals has faced any charges, and attempts to reach them for comment have been unsuccessful thus far.
Prosecutors assert that Bennett’s consulting company failed to disclose the creation of Yemen Crisis Watch in its filings with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Additionally, Watts allegedly provided false statements during FBI interviews regarding his knowledge of the company’s establishment and activities.
This case is just one among several ongoing investigations concerning Qatar’s extensive influence campaign during the Trump administration. These investigations gained momentum when Saudi Arabia and other neighboring countries placed a blockade on Qatar.
