BKSH & Associates Worldwide
Encyclopedia
Black, Kelly, Scruggs & Healey, also known as BKSH & Associates is a Washington, D.C.-based lobbying firm.
and Good & Liebengood.
Part of the Burson-Marsteller
family, the firm is led by Charles R. Black, Jr.
, a leading Republican political strategist. Its principals and alumni have had extensive ties to the administrations of Ronald Reagan
, George H. W. Bush
, and Bill Clinton
. Other clients have included Fortune 100 companies, multinationals, trade and industry associations, foreign governments, state governments and municipalities.
, Somalia
, Nigeria
and the Philippines
. In 2003, it was internationally criticized for its representation of Ahmad Chalabi and the Iraqi National Congress
for their support of the War on Iraq, which was primarily based on intelligence provided by the group which was later proved to be false.
According to records of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, BKSH & Associates is registered to represent 90 clients. (Accessed December 14, 2005.)
Synopsis
The firm came into being in 1996 through the merger of D.C. firms Black, Manafort, Stone and KellyBlack, Manafort, Stone and Kelly
Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly was a lobbying firm based in Washington, D.C.. Formed in 1982, it merged with Gold & Liebengood to form BKSH & Associates in 1996.- History :...
and Good & Liebengood.
Part of the Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller is a global public relations and communications firm headquartered in the United States. Burson-Marsteller operates 67 wholly owned offices and 71 affiliate offices in 98 countries across six continents...
family, the firm is led by Charles R. Black, Jr.
Charles R. Black, Jr.
Charles R. Black, Jr. , is a former chief lobbyist for BKSH & Associates, a lobbying firm associated with Burson-Marsteller. Black also worked for Ronald Reagan's two Presidential campaigns in 1976 and 1980 and he was a senior political adviser to the 1992 re-election campaign of George H.W. Bush...
, a leading Republican political strategist. Its principals and alumni have had extensive ties to the administrations of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
, and Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
. Other clients have included Fortune 100 companies, multinationals, trade and industry associations, foreign governments, state governments and municipalities.
Controversy
BKSH & Associates, has also represented anti-democratic dictators and regimes in ZaireZaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
, Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. In 2003, it was internationally criticized for its representation of Ahmad Chalabi and the Iraqi National Congress
Iraqi National Congress
The Iraqi National Congress is an umbrella Iraqi opposition group led by Ahmed Chalabi. It was formed with the aid and direction of the United States government following the Gulf War, for the purpose of fomenting the overthrow of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.-History:INC was set up following the...
for their support of the War on Iraq, which was primarily based on intelligence provided by the group which was later proved to be false.
Company
In 1984, a group of former political campaign strategists and senior Capitol Hill professionals came together to form BKSH.Clients
- Government of Colombia: "The registrant provided advice and counsel relating to communications activities, developed communications materials and worked with media organizations to advance the interests of the foreign principal," the company disclosed. In the six month period ending June 1, 2002 the company was paid $232,500.
- His Excellency Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, Governor Jigawa State, Nigeria: "The registrant met with U.S. Government officials and congressional staffers regarding the gum Arabic project in Nigeria," the company disclosed.
- Agency for Humanitarian Technologies: "The registrant monitored news articles and political statements of interest to the foreign principal. The registrant also contacted congressional staffers and U.S. Government officials to provide an update on Ukraine following parliamentary elections and to discuss the status of U.S.-Ukraine relations," it disclosed. For this it was paid $110,000.00 for January 1 to June 30, 2002.
- Blackwater USABlackwater USAXe Services LLC, better known by its former names, Blackwater USA and Blackwater Worldwide, is a private military company founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and Al Clark.. Xe is currently the largest of the U.S. State Department's three private security contractors...
BKSH was hired through a personal relationship with Blackwater to help with Erik Prince's October 2, 2007 testimony in front of Congress. Handling the case for BKSH was former State Department official, Robert Tappan.
- Government of Greece - in January 2007 signed "a six-month contract for strategic advice and intelligence gathering" with BKSH, including "executive branch monitoring and House and Senate advocacy"
- Iraqi National Congress and its head Ahmad Chalabi
- Radio Sedaye Iran (Radio Voice of Iran), the Beverly Hills-based network that advocates regime change in Iran.
- YukosSibneft Oil Company (a.k.a. Yukos Oil)
According to records of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, BKSH & Associates is registered to represent 90 clients. (Accessed December 14, 2005.)
Presidential campaigns
- The 2004 and 2000 campaigns of President George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
- The 2004 Presidential campaign of Senator John KerryJohn KerryJohn Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
- The 2000 Presidential campaign of Vice President Al GoreAl GoreAlbert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
- The 1992 and 1996 campaigns of President Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
- The 1996 Presidential campaign of Senator Bob DoleBob DoleRobert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
- The 1992 and 1988 campaigns of President George H. W. BushGeorge H. W. BushGeorge Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
- The 1980 and 1984 campaigns of President Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....