FYI the Alexander Strategies Group

No wonder there's a scramble in Washington DC to de-link from the Abramoff tainted Alexander Strategies Group! A quick look at the companies, organizations, and coalitions for which ASG registered as a lobbyist with the United States Senate yields an interesting batch indeed.  This isn't one of those diaries that calls attention to a particular point, or one that calls for action. This is simply some background information that I hope will provide fellow Kossacks with starting points for their own investigations of Enron, ASG, Abramoff, and the rest of the tangled net.

At the outset it would be useful to point out that ASG is associated with the Harbour Group (linked from its website) and to the firm of Swidler Berlin which operates in both New York City and Washington DC. It might also be useful to sing "The toe bone's connected to the foot bone, the foot bone's connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone's connected to the leg bone..." while exploring the amazing world of Abramoff and the K Street Project folks.

We'll start with the most recent news from Bloomberg regarding the replacement of Tom DeLay
(Blunt and Boehner) "Both men's political action committees employ Jim Ellis, who was indicted along with DeLay. DeLay's PAC gave Blunt's committee a $150,000 donation in 2000, and Blunt's PAC gave $10,000 to DeLay's non-profit foundation that same year. Both lawmakers' PACs have employed Alexander Strategy Group, a Georgetown-based firm whose partners include former Abramoff and DeLay associates."

How did ASG describe itself? Alexander Strategies Group website:
"What sets Alexander Strategy Group apart is its ability to combine proven government affairs experience, innovative strategic planning with masterful communications tactics and the most efficient "campaign style" implementation in the nation. We achieve winning results for our clients by offering a comprehensive, integrated suite of services." ASG site
And what did it say it could do? Again, from the Alexander Strategies Group:

Together, The Alexander Strategy Group and The Harbour Group offer unparalleled access to Washington decision makers on both sides of the aisle. With decades of senior-level experience formulating public policy and legislative strategy, The Alexander Strategy Group/The Harbour Group powerhouse provides the skills and tools needed to succeed in the nation's capital. The individual members of our firms have built careers tackling complex policy initiatives and intricate communications campaigns. ...The two firms also have a strategic relationship with the law firm of Swidler Berlin Shereff Friedman,LLP, one of Washington's and New York's premier law firms.

Integrated Indeed For this we need to return to the Enron Debacle for a moment. The Enron fiasco was, in no small part, a result of the deregulation of the energy industry. Who was helping lead the charge for Enron's plan for deregulation? Answer: the Alexander Strategy Group.

Enron was ASG's from 1999 to 2001 Ed Buckham and ASG were involved in a campaign, spearheaded by Enron, to deregulate energy markets. "...An outline for the plan was faxed to Tom DeLay's Washington office. It was printed on Alexander Strategy letterhead complete with Ed Buckham's name in print. The only problem was that Alexander Strategy's CEO was still in the employ of the federal government at the time... Alexander Strategy Group was, as Enron promised, awarded the $750,000 contract to drum up support for electric power deregulation -- a goal that Enron believed would open the $300 billion a year electric markets to Enron. The stealth campaign would operate out of an energy consortium dubbed, Americans for Affordable Electricity, a name that Californians would find bitterly ironic just three years later."Alternet

Who else was caught up in this ASG net? There are two clients of ASG that hit the eye almost immediately: Universal Bearing Inc. and Group W Advisers.  Universal Bearing Inc paid ASG$600,000. Universal Bearing Inc. is owned by the Hanwha Group, which "has direct ties to the foreign agent that paid for Rep. DeLay's improper trip to Korea. Talkleft

Remember Brent Wilkes, of the Cunningham bribery case?
Group W Advisers paid ASG $520,000.  "The Poway, CA operation headed by Brent Wilkes, Joel G. Combs is listed as the principle contact. Combs is the nephew of Brent Wilkes. Michael D. Mack was also part of the group. In 2004 Mack was the chairman of the Young Republican National Federation." Left Coaster These two sources link back to investigations in the blogosphere during 2004 and are well worth the time to read in full. See also [SourceWatch Client List http://www.sourcewatch.org/... Enron, Blackwater USA]

Now tell me this isn't a Republican Scandal!?

ASG/Harbour Group/Swidler Berlin made the list of top firms documented by the Center for Public Integrity. In their report "Top 100 Companies and Organizations Reported Lobbying" shows expenses paid for by clients of the lobby group.Center for Public Integrity

Who needed the Alexander Strategies Group? Blackwater for one:

Blackwater USA hired ASG for crisis management, and media relations."...Blackwater - and private military contractors in general - came under increased public scrutiny following the public killing and mutilation of four employees in Fallujah, Iraq on March 31, 2004. (SourceWatch)

And there were others, many others. For a full listing of clients for whom Alexander Strategies registered with the Senate follow this link

So far we have "guilt by association" links between the Alexander Strategies Group, the Enron Debacle, the Cunningham Case, the DeLay Scandal, and Blackwater's problems in Fallujah. But wait, as all the ads say on television, There's More! Who else might need the assistance of ASG?  

There's the Nigerian Connection: The "Destiny Democratic Movement also hired ASG to represent their interests. The Destiny Democratic Movement is associated with the Peoples Club of Nigeria The only item that popped up in a Google Search of this organization is an undated convention report including the following information

"The Club has no humanitarian services outside the membership. Members, however, agreed that Peoples Club has strong social benefits to its members and the need for the convention was imperative. That was where the unanimity ended. The views about the success of the convention were mixed.
Chairman of Convention Planning Committee, Dr. Stanley Onye, thought that the convention went very well. Vincent Akas echoed that sentiment. However, Ossy Unamba saw it differently. He said, "It was a short of the expectation. It did not go as planned. The purpose was to create a forum to deliberate on issues that would move us forward, but there was no forum for the intended discussion."

So far all the information available online indicates that the group is a social club to promote Nigerian business and welfare. More investigation into the who's and why's might be in order.

Also connected to the ASG is the American Education Reform Foundation and it's adjunct the BAEO. BAEO sought to promote school vouchers and the AERC generously provided the resources, some of which came from right wing foundations and ended up in the coffers of the Alexander Strategies Group.
 source

"The Bradley Foundation also supports AERC, providing $300,000 grants in 1998 and 2000.38 It is clear that the Bradley and Walton Foundations have a key role in both directly and indirectly funding BAEO.

In addition, Howard Fuller himself sits on the AERC board alongside John Walton. Kaleem Caire stepped down from his position as executive director of BAEO to become Project Director for AERC's national effort to expand parent options."

Between the Harbour Group webpage and the registration list for ASG there are more organizations that might deserve more investigation than this single diary can provide. Among them are the Malaysian Exchange Association, the Zimbabwe Democracy Trust, and the Korea US Exchange Council. But, I'll leave that for another day. I hope this quick summary provides someone with a few leads to follow as the Republican Money Machine Scandal unwinds and unfolds.