Egypt gets dumped by its Washington lobbyists

I wonder if Congress realizes that the Egyptians also have options.  If Egypt decided to close US access to Egyptian military facilities and overflights, as well as limit access to the Suez Canal by the US Navy, it would make it extraordinarily difficult and much more expensive for the US Navy to maintain its current posture in the Persian Gulf.  For years, Egypt has waived for the US a law limiting access by nuclear powered warships transiting the Suez Canal.

Egypt gets dumped by its Washington lobbyists

Posted By Josh Rogin  Saturday, January 28, 2012 - 9:04 AM

All three of the lobbying firms representing the Egyptian government in Washington, D.C., dropped Egypt as a client late Friday amid widespread criticism of the ruling military council's raid of U.S. NGOs in Cairo and its refusal to let American NGO workers leave the country.

The Livingston Group, run by former Rep. Bob Livingston (R-LA), the Moffett Group, run by former Rep. Toby Moffett (D-CT), and the Podesta Group, run by Tony Podesta, unanimously severed their combined $90,000 per month contract with the Egyptian government, Politicoreported late Friday, quoting Livingston directly. The three firms had formed what is known as the PLM Group, a lobbying entity created to advocate on behalf of the regime of former PresidentHosni Mubarak, who was deposed in February 2011 after 18 days of massive street protests. According to the disclosure filings, Egypt has paid PLM more than $4 million since 2007.