Donald Trump: Confidante Thomas Barrack arrested for lobbying for the Emirates

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Thomas Barrack at a Trump celebration in January 2017

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David J. Phillip / AP

A friend of former US President Donald Trump, Thomas Barrack, has been charged with improper lobbying for the United Arab Emirates.

Barrack, who played a central role in organizing Trump's inauguration ceremony in 2017, had promoted the Emirates without disclosing his relationship, the Justice Department said on Tuesday.

The 74-year-old was arrested according to media reports.

Barrack's secret activity as a lobbyist for the policies of a foreign government was tantamount to "betrayal" of his US counterparts, "including the former president," the judiciary said.

From April 2016 to April 2018, Barrack and two co-defendants used his friendship and access to the candidate and later President Trump, government agencies and the media to promote foreign interests.

Barrack is also charged with obstruction of justice and false testimony.

Strict rules for lobbying

Lobbying for foreign interests is not a criminal offense per se in the USA, but there are precise regulations for the mandatory disclosure of such activity. Violations can result in up to five years in prison. "American citizens have a right to know when foreign governments, or their agents, are trying to influence our government," said a senior FBI official, William Sweeney. This is all the more true in an election year, he added.

According to the indictment, Barrack was an "informal advisor" to Trump in 2016, and from November Barrack, known as a major party donor, was responsible for organizing the inauguration in Washington. The investor is one of Trump's oldest and best friends. An important part of his role was fundraising - he raised $ 107 million.

"As of January 2017, Barrack was informally advising senior US government officials on US policy issues in the Middle East," the indictment said.

Barrack - whose grandparents came from Lebanon - also applied for a post as Middle East envoy after the change of government.

In September 2017, at the behest of the Emiratis, Barrack tried to prevent Trump from convening a summit at Camp David to mediate in the dispute over the blockade of the Gulf States against Qatar.

"The summit never took place," declared the Justice Department.

mjm / dpa