Janus-Merritt Strategies
Encyclopedia
Janus-Merritt Strategies was a lobbying firm founded in 1997 by conservative activist Grover Norquist
and then-lawyer David Safavian
, who later became better known as the chief of staff in the General Services Administration
and for his conviction in the Abramoff-Reed Indian lobbying scandal
.
was the two-headed god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings, and endings.
From the start, the firm had a fiercely ideological tenor: "We represent clients who really do have an interest in a smaller federal government", Safavian said in a 1997 interview with Legal Times. "We're all very ideologically driven, and have a bias in favor of free markets." He went on: "We're not letting people who offer us money change our principles."
(a client the firm shared with Jack Abramoff
), and the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, the National Indian Gaming Association
(Janus lobbied for the latter two on the same issue, amendments to the Interior Appropriations Act that were considered anti-Indian.)
The firm was also registered as a lobbyist for the governments of Pakistan
and Gabon
, and for Pascal Lissouba
, the corrupt former president of the Republic of the Congo
.
Chris Cannon
. In 2002, Janus itself was sold to Virginia-based Williams Mullen Strategies
.
and Abdurahman Alamoudi, a fierce supporter of Hamas
and Hezbollah. Senate disclosure reports on file show that for years Janus-Merritt registered as a lobbyist for Alamoudi.
At a Senate confirmation hearing in April 2004, Safavian said that "To my knowledge, neither I nor Janus-Merritt did any work for Mr. Alamoudi." "I do not know why Mr. Alamoudi was erroneously listed in the client's lobby disclosure forms." More, "I do not believe Janus-Merritt received any funds from Mr. Alamoudi."
On December 17, 2001, eleven months after Safavian's departure, Janus resubmitted its disclosure forms. This time the name of Alamoudi had been replaced by the name of Dr. Jamal al Barzinji
, who is also notable as a vice president of the International Institute of Islamic Thought
(IIIT). Norquist has refused to release tax records of the firm for the period during which he and Safavian owned the company.
Safavian told the Senate that al Barzinji, not Alamoudi, was his client. "Al Barzinji," he said, "should have been listed as the client retaining the firm for work related to Malaysian political prisoner Anwar Ibrahim
," referring to the deposed prime minister of Malaysia, who also was a co-founder of the IIIT. In fact, Barzinji had been listed as a contact, not a client, on all the disclosure forms.
On March 20, 2002, Barzinji's home was raided by a federal task force investigating terrorist finances. A federal affidavit identifies Barzinji as the ringleader of a group suspected of aiding terrorists.
At least one of the co-registrants with Alamoudi in his services on behalf of Norquist's Islamic Institute
, Palestine-born Omar Nashashibi, went to work for Williams Mullen, serving as its director of government affairs.
Grover Norquist
Grover Glenn Norquist is an American lobbyist, conservative activist, and founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform...
and then-lawyer David Safavian
David Safavian
David Hossein Safavian is a former chief of staff of the United States General Services Administration and a figure in the Jack Abramoff lobbying and corruption scandal....
, who later became better known as the chief of staff in the General Services Administration
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...
and for his conviction in the Abramoff-Reed Indian lobbying scandal
Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal
The Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal is a United States political scandal relating to the work performed by political lobbyists Jack Abramoff, Ralph E. Reed, Jr., Grover Norquist and Michael Scanlon on Indian casino gambling interests for an estimated $85 million in fees. Abramoff and Scanlon...
.
History
The firm was originally founded as the Merritt Group, and later renamed Janus-Merritt Strategies (sometimes referred to as "Janus Merritt" or simply "Janus"). Janus (mythology)Janus (mythology)
In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Janus is the god of beginnings and transitions, thence also of gates, doors, doorways, endings and time. He is usually a two-faced god since he looks to the future and the past...
was the two-headed god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings, and endings.
From the start, the firm had a fiercely ideological tenor: "We represent clients who really do have an interest in a smaller federal government", Safavian said in a 1997 interview with Legal Times. "We're all very ideologically driven, and have a bias in favor of free markets." He went on: "We're not letting people who offer us money change our principles."
Distinguished clientele
Over the next five years, the firm's clients included businesses like BP America, the U.S. division of British Petroleum. There were foreign companies like the Corporacion Venezolana de Cementos and Grupo Financiero Banorte. And there were gaming interests, including those of several Indian groups, such as the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal CouncilSaginaw Chippewa Tribal Council
Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Nation is a band of Chippewa Indians located in central Michigan in the United States. The tribal government offices are located on the Isabella Indian Reservation, near the city of Mount Pleasant. The tribe owns and operates Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant and...
(a client the firm shared with Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist and businessman. Convicted in 2006 of mail fraud and conspiracy, he was at the heart of an extensive corruption investigation that led to the conviction of White House officials J. Steven Griles and David Safavian, U.S. Representative Bob Ney, and nine...
), and the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, the National Indian Gaming Association
National Indian Gaming Commission
The National Indian Gaming Commission is an independent federal regulatory agency within the Department of the Interior. Congress established this agency through the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988. The agency has the duty to "promulgate such regulations and guidelines as it deems...
(Janus lobbied for the latter two on the same issue, amendments to the Interior Appropriations Act that were considered anti-Indian.)
The firm was also registered as a lobbyist for the governments of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
, and for Pascal Lissouba
Pascal Lissouba
Pascal Lissouba was the first democratically elected President of the Republic of the Congo from August 31, 1992 to October 15, 1997. He was overthrown by the current President Denis Sassou Nguesso in the 1997 civil war....
, the corrupt former president of the Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
.
Dissolution in 2001
Safavian left Janus in January 2001 to become Chief of Staff for RepresentativeUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Chris Cannon
Chris Cannon
Christopher Black "Chris" Cannon was a member of the United States House of Representatives, for the Republican Party, representing the third district of Utah from 1997 - 2009....
. In 2002, Janus itself was sold to Virginia-based Williams Mullen Strategies
Williams Mullen Strategies
Williams Mullen is a noted Richmond, Virginia-based law firm and lobbying group, founded in 1909. In 2011, it ranked in the top 200 law firms in the U.S...
.
Controversial ties
Perhaps the most controversial client of the lobbying firm was the American Muslim CouncilAmerican Muslim Council
The American Muslim Council is an Islamic organization and registered charity in the United States. Its headquarters is located in Chicago, Illinois....
and Abdurahman Alamoudi, a fierce supporter of Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
and Hezbollah. Senate disclosure reports on file show that for years Janus-Merritt registered as a lobbyist for Alamoudi.
At a Senate confirmation hearing in April 2004, Safavian said that "To my knowledge, neither I nor Janus-Merritt did any work for Mr. Alamoudi." "I do not know why Mr. Alamoudi was erroneously listed in the client's lobby disclosure forms." More, "I do not believe Janus-Merritt received any funds from Mr. Alamoudi."
On December 17, 2001, eleven months after Safavian's departure, Janus resubmitted its disclosure forms. This time the name of Alamoudi had been replaced by the name of Dr. Jamal al Barzinji
Jamal al Barzinji
Dr. Jamal al Barzinji is a Muslim Arab-American businessman, associated with the International Institute of Islamic Thought, the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, and the SAAR Foundation....
, who is also notable as a vice president of the International Institute of Islamic Thought
International Institute of Islamic Thought
The International Institute of Islamic Thought is a privately held non-profit organization.The Institution is concerned with issues of Islamic thought...
(IIIT). Norquist has refused to release tax records of the firm for the period during which he and Safavian owned the company.
Safavian told the Senate that al Barzinji, not Alamoudi, was his client. "Al Barzinji," he said, "should have been listed as the client retaining the firm for work related to Malaysian political prisoner Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
," referring to the deposed prime minister of Malaysia, who also was a co-founder of the IIIT. In fact, Barzinji had been listed as a contact, not a client, on all the disclosure forms.
On March 20, 2002, Barzinji's home was raided by a federal task force investigating terrorist finances. A federal affidavit identifies Barzinji as the ringleader of a group suspected of aiding terrorists.
At least one of the co-registrants with Alamoudi in his services on behalf of Norquist's Islamic Institute
Islamic Free Market Institute
The Islamic Free Market Institute is a Muslim outreach group founded by Khaled Saffuri and Grover Norquist in 1998 , where they served as executive director and chairman, respectively.- Synopsis :...
, Palestine-born Omar Nashashibi, went to work for Williams Mullen, serving as its director of government affairs.
Further reading
- Jack Abramoff's House of Cards
- Seth Gitell, "Strange Bedfellows: Grover Norquist and Abdurahman Alamoudi", Boston Phoenix October 4–11, 2001