The corruption surrounding President Donald Trump includes close allies lobbying the administration for foreign governments targeted by US sanctions, The New York Timesreported Monday.
Two leaders of Trump's legal defense were featured in an article. Rudy Giuliani as Trump's defense attorney and Alan Dershowitz, who frequently defends the administration on cable news.
The story noted Giuliani attending an event atop Hay-Adams Hotel featuring a presentation by the Democratic Republic of Congo’s special envoy.
"The Congolese officials at the reception posed for photos with Mr. Giuliani, and afterward there was some confusion about his connection to the lobbying effort," The Times noted. "Giuliani said he was not serving as an intermediary between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the administration."
On Sunday, in text messages, Giuliani admitted negotiating a consulting deal in the Democratic Republican of Congo.
Giuliani said, “if I do it, it would only be security consulting” and not lobbying.
"Dershowitz also has a long history of representing clients in transnational legal matters, including sanctions," The Times noted. "Dershowitz is advising Dan Gertler, an Israeli billionaire who was the target of sanctions by Washington last year for using his connections to [Joseph] Kabila, the Congolese president, to facilitate what the Treasury Department called opaque and corrupt mining and oil deals.'"
The two weren't alone.
Former Trump campaign aide Bryan Lanza has lobbied to delay sanctions against Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
And former Trump campaign fundraiser Brian Ballard the Turkish-state-owned bank Halkbank.
