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Lobbying is a form of advocacy, which lawfully attempts to directly influence legislators or government officials, such as regulatory agencies or judiciary. Lobbying involves direct, face-to-face contact and is carried out by various entities, including individuals acting as voters, constituents, or private citizens; corporations pursuing their business interests; non-profits and NGOs through advocacy groups to achieve their missions; and legislators or government officials influencing each other in legislative affairs.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates is an American multinational law firm headquartered in New York City.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is an ethnic and territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians until 2023, and seven surrounding districts, inhabited mostly by Azerbaijanis until their expulsion during the 1990s. The Nagorno-Karabakh region was entirely claimed by and partially controlled by the breakaway Republic of Artsakh, but was recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan gradually re-established control over Nagorno-Karabakh region and the seven surrounding districts.
The Arab lobby in the United States is a collection of formal and informal groups and professional lobbyists in the United States paid directly by Gulf Arab states and private donors on behalf of the Arab states.
Brenda Shaffer is an American scholar who holds positions as Fellow with the Atlantic Council and professor at University of Haifa. Shaffer was the former research director of the Caspian Studies Program at Harvard Kennedy School and past president of the Foreign Policy Section of the American Political Science Association. She specializes on energy in international relations and energy policy in the Caspian region and has written or edited several books of these topics, including "Energy Politics" and "Beyond the Resource Curse." Shaffer has also written a number of books on the topic of identity and culture in the Caucasus including explorations of Azeri literature and culture. She has been accused of lobbying for Azerbaijan and failing to disclose conflicts of interest. According to the 2019 book Lobbying in the European Union: Strategies, Dynamics and Trends, published by Springer: "research shows that her [Shaffer's] entire career has benefitted from financial support from sources tied to Azerbaijan's leadership".
Ilgar Mammadov is an opposition politician in Azerbaijan, and one of the leaders of the Republican Alternative Party. Mammadov was considered a likely candidate for the Presidential elections in October 2013, but was arrested in February 2013, prior to the race, in a move that was widely seen as politically motivated.
The Podesta Group was a lobbying and public affairs firm based in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1988 by brothers John and Tony Podesta and has previously been known as Podesta Associates, podesta.com and PodestaMattoon. John Podesta left the firm in 1993, and Tony Podesta left the firm on October 30, 2017, after finding out about increased scrutiny of the firm. It has essentially ceased to exist since then. The firm reorganized in January 2007 after chairman Tony Podesta split with former business partner Dan Mattoon.
Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly was a lobbying firm based in Washington, D.C., and formed in 1980 by Roger Stone, Paul Manafort and Charles Black and purchased in 1991 by Burson-Marsteller. The firm lobbied on behalf of prominent Republicans, businesses and foreign governments.
Paul John Manafort Jr. is an American former lobbyist, political consultant, and attorney. A long-time Republican Party campaign consultant, he chaired the Trump presidential campaign from June to August 2016. Manafort served as an adviser to the U.S. presidential campaigns of Republicans Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and Bob Dole. In 1980, he co-founded the Washington, D.C.–based lobbying firm Black, Manafort & Stone, along with principals Charles R. Black Jr. and Roger Stone, joined by Peter G. Kelly in 1984. Manafort often lobbied on behalf of foreign leaders such as former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, former dictator of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos, former dictator of Zaire Mobutu Sese Seko, and Angolan guerrilla leader Jonas Savimbi. Lobbying to serve the interests of foreign governments requires registration with the Justice Department under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA); on June 27, 2017, he retroactively registered as a foreign agent.
Novruzali Khanmammad oğlu Mammadov was an Azerbaijani philologist, journalist and activist of Talysh ethnicity. He was the founder and editor of the now-defunct newspaper Tolyshi Sado. Mammadov also worked at the Nasimi Institute of Linguistics of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and headed a Talysh cultural center, which was closed after his imprisonment.
The Tea Party Patriots is an American conservative political organization founded in 2009 as part of the Tea Party movement. It is known for organizing citizen opposition to the Affordable Care Act during the presidency of Barack Obama, and more recently for supporting Donald Trump.
Russian espionage in the United States has occurred since at least the Cold War, and likely well before. According to the United States government, by 2007 it had reached Cold War levels.
Ziya Mammadov Arzuman oglu is an Azerbaijani politician and billionaire who served as the Minister of Transportation. BBC News has described him as among "the wealthiest and most powerful in the governing elite" in Azerbaijan. Mammadov has been implicated in a number of corruption scandals and exposes, including the Azerbaijani laundromat scandal.
Hilal Mammadov is an Azerbaijani journalist and human rights activist. He is the chief editor of the Baku-based newspaper "Tolyshi sado", the only newspaper in Azerbaijan printed in the minority Talysh language. After Novruzali Mammadov died in custody, Hilal Mamedov became a second community leader for the Talysh people. He is also known as the author of the meykhana video Ty kto takoy? Davay, do svidaniya! which became an Internet meme both in Azerbaijan and Post-Soviet states.
Arif Mammadov is an Azerbaijani former diplomat and opposition activist.
Elliott B. Broidy is an American former unregistered lobbyist and businessman. From 2005 to 2008, he served as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) and deputy finance chairman of the RNC from 2017 to 2018. He pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered foreign agent working for Chinese and Malaysian interests in October 2020.
Fusion GPS is an opposition research and strategic intelligence firm based in Washington, D.C. The company conducts open-source investigations and provides research and strategic advice for businesses, law firms and investors, and political campaigns. The "GPS" initialism is derived from "Global research, Political analysis, Strategic insight".
Corruption in Azerbaijan is considered high and occurs at all levels of government. Corruption during the Soviet era was rife and persists into the present. As of 2024, Azerbaijan has regularly ranked near the bottom of Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index.
Trump International Hotel & Tower Baku is an unfinished 33-floor hotel and condominium tower located in the Nasimi District in Baku, Azerbaijan. Construction began in 2008, when the project was initially planned as an apartment building. The project is owned by Baku XXI Century, a company affiliated with several members of the Mammadov family, which has been described as having a reputation for corruption.
Caviar diplomacy is a lobbying strategy of Azerbaijan, consisting of costly invitations to foreign politicians and employees of international organizations to Azerbaijan at the expense of the host country. Caviar diplomacy also includes expensive gifts presented as "a tribute to the Eastern tradition."
References
- 1 2 "Inside Azerbaijan's Bizarre U.S. Lobbying Push". BuzzFeed News. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
- 1 2 "UK at centre of secret $3bn Azerbaijani money laundering and lobbying scheme". the Guardian. 2017-09-04. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
- ↑ "Azerbaijan boom benefits super-rich oil elite". BBC News. 2010-06-02. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
- 1 2 3 Choma, Russ. "Donald Trump is doing business with a controversial Azerbaijani oligarch". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
- 1 2 "How A Politically Connected Azerbaijani Tycoon Poured Secretive Millions Into British KFC Franchise". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2024-07-11.
- ↑ "Tale of Trump and partner in Azerbaijan real estate project". AP NEWS. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 2021-07-05.