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Inquiry of Trump Friend Focused on Foreign Lobbying

July 28, 2019 at 4:49 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Tom Barrack, the longtime friend of President Trump and the chairman of his inaugural, is the subject of a federal probe into influence peddling by foreign governments, the New York Times reports.

“Investigators have looked in particular at whether Mr. Barrack or others violated the law requiring people who try to influence American policy or opinion at the direction of foreign governments or entities to disclose their activities to the Justice Department.”

“The inquiry had proceeded far enough last month that Mr. Barrack, who played an influential role in the campaign and acts as an outside adviser to the White House, was interviewed, at his request, by prosecutors in the public integrity unit of the United States attorney’s office in Brooklyn.”

Filed Under: Lobbyists, White House Tagged With: Tom Barrack

Trump Inaugural Chair Sought to Profit from Event

February 5, 2019 at 7:14 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The investment firm founded by the chairman of Donald Trump’s inaugural committee, Tom Barrack, developed a plan to profit off its connections to the incoming administration and foreign dignitaries,” according to a confidential memo obtained by ProPublica.

From the memo: “The key is to strategically cultivate domestic and international relations while avoiding any appearance of lobbying.”

Filed Under: Lobbyists Tagged With: Tom Barrack

Bonus Quote of the Day

January 11, 2017 at 8:06 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“What we’ve done instead of trying to surround him with what people consider A-listers is we are going to surround him with the soft sensuality of the place. It’s a much more poetic cadence than having a circus-like celebration that’s a coronation.”

— Trump inauguration planner Tom Barrack, quoted by Politico.

Filed Under: Trump Transition Tagged With: Tom Barrack

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About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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