Lobbyists provide cash for Billy Long campaign

Four lobbyists, including one whose company helped a private equity firm sell U. S. property to Middle Eastern interests, were among those whose money found its way into the campaign account of Seventh District Congressman Billy Long.

Long's quarterly financial disclosure report, filed October 15 with the FEC, showed contribution from at least four lobbyists, including the following:

-Harvey Tettlebaum, a lawyer with the Husch-Blackwell firm, is a registered lobbyist for the Missouri Republican Party, the Missouri Health Care Association, and Kansas City Southern, $100

-Blair Larkins of the Bokorny Group, whose clients include 21st Century Fox, NewsCorp (the parent company of Fox News), the American Hospital Association, National Hog Farmers, and other interests, $250

--Gregg Hartley, former chief of staff to Billy Long's predecessor, Roy Blunt, a lobbyist for Cassidy and Associates, and considered one of the top guns among Washington lobbyists, $1,500

-Christopher Giblin, a lobbyist for Ogilvy Government Relations. On its website, Ogilvy boasts about helping a private equity firm sell U. S. property to Middle Eastern interests just a year after the well-publicized and criticized sale of U. S. ports to Dubai.  "OGR represented a major private equity firm selling domestically held Fixed Based Operators to Middle Eastern purchaser. The sale was less than one year after the Dubai Ports exchange debacle. OGR successfully managed the political risk on Capitol Hill. Furthermore, OGR worked with Administration officials to seek successful approval through the CFIUS process."

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