Trump ally charged with foreign lobbying

Federal prosecutors have charged Trump’s former advisor Tom Barrack with illegally acting on behalf of the Arab Emirates to influence US foreign policy

US federal prosecutors have charged Trump’s former advisor Tom Barrack for lobbying on behalf of the United Arab Emirates. The federal prosecutors believe Barrack made efforts to influence foreign policy positions during Trump’s presidential campaign and time in office.

The court has charged him with seven counts in total, including “acting as an agent of the UAE”. Aside from foreign lobbying, he was also charged with obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal law enforcement agents.

A spokesperson for Barrack said he will plead not guilty.

“I nailed it… for the home team”

US officials say Barrack both directly and indirectly contacted senior leaders within the UAE between April 2016 and April 2018. He spent this time promoting its foreign policy agenda in the US while acting as chairman of Trump’s Inaugural Committee.

During 2016, he praised the UAE in a speech about US energy policy. He then sent a draft of the speech to Alshahhi to give to UAE officials. In both 2016 and 2017, the UAE sent all three men talking points for Barrack’s TV appearances.

Following one appearance, Barrack emailed Alshahhi, “I nailed it. . . for the home team,” referring not to the United States but to the UAE.

Two others were also charged for using Barrack’s position to advance the interests of the UAE

The court also found Matthew Grimes and Rashid Sultan Rashid Al Malik Alshahhi, guilty.

Alshahhi is a UAE national. The prosecutors say he used Barrack’s status as a senior adviser to Trump to “advance the interests of the UAE”. Officials are yet to arrest Alshahhi, who fled the US in 2018.