Greenberg Traurig

Greenberg Traurig, Source: GT Law

Greenberg Traurig LLP is an American lobbying firm based in Washington D.C.

Staff

• Elana Broitman - former Capital Hill adviser

Contract with bogus 'human rights group'

Greenberg Traurig has come under fire for its suggested links to the government of Azerbaijan and its much derided international strategy of 'caviar diplomacy', in which diplomats and policy makers receive gifts and benefits from the Azeri state.

In May 2016 it emerged that Greenberg had signed a contract with the Baku-based human rights group 'The Association for Civil Society Development in Azerbaijan', in which it offered to provide 'U.S government relations counsel'. According to Justice Department records, the contract is worth $25,000 a month over the course of three months.

Elkhan Siraj Suleymanov, chairman of the ACSDA and Greenberg's Elana Broitman, a former Capital Hill adviser were the signatories for the contract, which describes the services offered as follows: 'Advice and counsel related to pending legislation, as well as educating the government and other opinion leaders regarding the same effective April 26 ,2016.' When asked, officials at Greenberg declined to give comment.

Suleymanov, a close confident of the Azerbaijani President, is well known for his role in expanding 'caviar diplomacy', Azerbaijan's new international strategy which attempts to buy the favour of policy makers with lavish gifts and trips. A 2012 report by the 'European Stability Initiative' documents caviar, silk carpets and cash were awarded to members of PACE when they visited Baku.

Azerbaijan will come under further criticism while they continue with a bizarre lobbying campaign to court the West and Washington while still quashing independent voices back home.

Legal cases

The firm represented Andrew Whitehead, one of the founders of Anti-CAIR (or ACAIR), in a case brought by the Council on American-Islamic Relations in the US in 2004.