BKSH & Associates
BKSH & Associates is a global lobbying firm, headquartered in Washington, with offices in London, Brussels, Berlin and Paris. According to its website it provides government relations services to a select number of domestic and international clients. The firm is part of the Burson-Marsteller groups of companies. BKSH's chairman is Charles R. Black, Jr., who is a leading Republican political strategist, having served as senior advisor to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and as a spokesman for the Republican Party.
In 2009, BKSH merged with Timmons and Company, Inc., to create a new company called Prime Policy Group.[1]
Contents
Overview
The firm's lobbyists, lawyers, communications professionals, foreign affairs specialists and researchers design and execute programs to help shape candidates' or political parties' public policy. Clients include Fortune 100 companies, multinationals, small and mid-sized companies, trade and industry associations, foreign governments, state governments and municipalities." [2]
BKSH's website boasts:
- "BKSH is the name of leading-edge government relations consultancy for the 21st century. Created by the world's largest communications agency, Burson-Marsteller, it enables clients to mount US, pan-European and transatlantic campaigns. Wherever in the world BKSH operates, clients can rely on the same commitment: the promise of efficiency, effectiveness and excellence"[3]
Pakistan
On 4 September 2007, Pakistan's The News wrote[4]:
- The better half of the chairman of one of the lobbying firms former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has hired in the United States is a leading member of American observers who will monitor the forthcoming general elections in Pakistan.
Charlie Black, chairman of the BKSH & Associates, is lobbying for Benazir in the United States, a source told The News. His wife, Judy Black, being board member of the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES), is responsible for training, financing and monitoring the upcoming parliamentary polls in Pakistan as US observer.
Benazir has hired two influential American companies, BKSH & Associates and Penn Schoen & Berland Associates (PSB), to urge the Bush Administration to ensure free, open and transparent elections in Pakistan during 2007.
The contract, which runs through June 2007, is said to be worth $250,000 for six months. These lobbyists are assigned to promote the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s views on current political situation in Pakistan to the members of the Bush Administration, Congress, think tanks, business elite and media.
…
However, he did not know as to whether Benazir makes payment from her pocket or from party fund. She has learnt the secret how to please Uncle Sam and his influential media men, who have mastery on portraying the worst as the best and vice versa. Least bothered about public opinion in Pakistan, her only worry is how to woo the Americans. Her ambition plans clearly is directed to win the US influential circles.
What is curious about this news item is the fact that Bhutto has hired consultants/PR groups that have a long history in manipulating the political process. IFES has been active in Pakistan for a long time, and their activities range from the usual "election monitoring" to organizing civic groups. PSB is another dubious operator best know to issue political survey results within a few days before or after an election. PSB's surveys can be used to validate a dodgy election, or to cast doubt over legitimate ones. What is also curious about the news item is that the use of these PR organizations has much with pleasing the US, and do not fulfill a function in Pakistan.
Iraq Work
The New Yorker magazine reported in Feburary 2004 that Black was considering setting up an office in Baghdad. "The problem in Iraq so far is it's slow, and very confusing for people to figure out how to do business there ... One week you go to Baghdad, and they say the decisions are being made at the Pentagon. Then you go to the Pentagon, and they say the decisions are being made in Baghdad. Only Halliburton is making money now!," he told New Yorker. "Is there too much cronyism? I just wish I could find the cronies," Black said.
In July 2005 O'Dwyers PR Daily reported that BKSH had been hired by The Lincoln Group "one of three firms selected last month by the U.S. Special Operations Command to wage psychological warfare on behalf of the Pentagon in Iraq and other hot spots."
"BKSH has experience on the Iraqi front earned from work for Ahmed Chalabi and his Iraqi National Congress. Col. James Treadwell, director of the Joint Psychological Operations Support Element, said TLG was selected to develop 'cutting-edge types of media,' including radio/TV ads, documentaries, text messages, Internet spots and podcasts for the U.S. military. The Pentagon expects to spend $3M in the first-year as a 'test,' and could spend up to $300M over five years if the 'psyops' operations conducted by TLG, SYColeman and Science Applications International Corp are deemed successful," O'Dwyers reported.
In February 2006 O'Dwyers PR Daily reported that BKSH & Associates, "has added the Republic of Iraq to its client roster," reports O'Dwyer's. "The Washington, DC-based firm had worked for the [U.S.-funded] Iraqi National Congress opposition group during the reign of Saddam Hussein." [2]
BKSH & Associates parent company, Burson-Marsteller has already "helped the deputy military attache do outreach to key media outlets," including the Wall Street Journal and CNN, and has contacted the U.S. State Department and National Security Council on behalf of the Iraqi Embassy. The firm's Iraq contract also includes setting up editorial board meetings, placing op/ed pieces, and strengthening "ties with organizations like the American Enterprise Institute, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Council on Foreign Relations and Business Council for International Understanding." [3]
Principals
- Charles R. Black, Jr. – Chairman
- R. Scott Pastrick – President and CEO
- Jeremy Galbraith – CEO Europe
- Stefan L. B. Bailey – Director
- Paul E. Brown – Legislative Strategist
- Kristin A. Calabrese – Manager
- Lisa Cotter Colangelo – Director
- Mark R. Disler – Legislative Strategist[5]
- James C. Healey – Principal on Tax & Trade[6]
- Andrea King – Director -- Health Care Issues[7]
- Michelle K. Maiwurm [8]
- Rich Meade [9]
- Charles L. Merin – [10]
- M. B. Oglesby, Jr. – Vice Chairman[11]
- Gardner Peckham – [12]
- Gabe Rozsa – Director[13]
- Ronna Sable Weber – Associate[14]
- Victoria Schiller – Client Executive[15]
- Keith Smith – [16]
UK Contact
Contact, References and Resources
Contact
- BKSH & Associates
- 1801 K Street, N.W., Suite 901-L
- Washington, D.C. 20006-1201
- U.S.A.
- Tel: +1 202 530 0500
- Fax: +1 202 530 4800
- Chief Executive Officer
- BKSH Europe
- 118, Avenue de Cortenbergh
- 1000 Brussels
- Belgium
- Tel: +32 2 743 6611
- Fax: +32 2 733 6611
- URL: www.bksh.com
- BKSH London
- 24-28 Bloomsbury Way
- London WC1A 2PX
- United Kingdom
- Phone: +44-20-7300-6402
- URL: [4]
Resources
- Aram Roston, Chalabi's Lobby, The Nation, 3 April 2008. Re: BKSH working for Chalabi -- paid for by the US...
References
- ↑ Mike Allen BKSH to merge with Timmons and Co. Politico, 5 October 2009, accessed 24 October 2014
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ About Us
- ↑ Wife of Benazir’s chief lobbyist to monitor polls, The News, 4 September 2007. (Accessed: 5 September 2007)
- ↑ Profile: Mark Disler(Accessed: 5 Sept. 2007)
- ↑ Profile: Jim Healey(Accessed: 5 Sept. 2007)
- ↑ Profile: Andrea King(Accessed: 5 Sept. 2007)
- ↑ Profile: Michelle Maiwurm(Accessed: 5 Sept. 2007)
- ↑ Profile: Rich Meade(Accessed: 5 Sept. 2007)
- ↑ Profile: Charles Merin(Accessed: 5 Sept. 2007)
- ↑ Profile: M. B. Oglesby(Accessed: 5 Sept. 2007)
- ↑ Profile: Gardner Peckham(Accessed: 5 Sept. 2007)
- ↑ Profile: Gabe Rozsa(Accessed: 5 Sept. 2007)
- ↑ Profile: Ronna Sable Weber(Accessed: 5 Sept. 2007)
- ↑ Profile: Victoria Schiller(Accessed: 5 Sept. 2007)
- ↑ Profile: Keith Smith(Accessed: 5 Sept. 2007)
