Belle Haven Consultants
In 1997, Heritage Foundation principal Edwin Feulner and Heritage's Asian policy expert Ken Sheffer formed Belle Haven Consultants.
Belle Haven Consultants, the Heritage Foundation, and the Alexander Strategy Group (ASG) shared the same office in Central Hong Kong[1]. Belle Haven was at first a subcontractor, but was then purchased by ASG partner Edward Stewart (co-owner with long-time associate Beth Allison Cave). ASG closed in 2006 due to the Jack Abramoff fraud scandal [2].
Belle Haven and the Malaysia Exchange
By the end of 2001, Belle Haven had hired ASG for help "promoting and advocating Malaysia's positive investment climate and business opportunities" in connection with a company called PK Baru Energy. A new group called the US-Malaysia Exchange Association also hired ASG for support "enhancing the bilateral relationship between Malaysia and the US." Megat Junid, an associate of then-prime minister Mahathir Mohammed, said in a 2004 interview that he organized Malaysia Exchange after talks with Edwin Feulner (ibid.).
In 2001, House majority leader Tom DeLay, along with Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Ander Crenshaw, travelled to Malaysia with their spouses on a trip officially sponsored by The Heritage Foundation. In the months following this trip, Us-Malaysian relations saw a vast improvement, and this new relationship climaxed in 2002 with Mahathir visiting the White House in May, his first state visit in eight years (ibid.).
According to US Senate records, Belle Haven paid ASG at least $620,000 between September 2001 and January 2006. Belle Haven also hired three other Washington lobbying firms, including the Western Strategy Group (run by Wallop), and the Harbour Group to support its Malaysian campaign, paying them a total of $780,000 (ibid.).
Affiliations
References
- ^ Washington Post Think Tank's Ideas Shifted as Malaysia Ties Grew, Accessed 21st August 2007.
- ^ Washington Post Lobbying Giant is Scandal Casualty, Accessed 21st August 2007.
