WASHINGTON — Gazprombank, Russia's third largest bank and the target of Western sanctions, has hired two former U.S. senators to lobby on its behalf in Washington, according to a disclosure form.
Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and former Senator John Breaux were listed as lobbyists for a subsidiary of the bank, according to a filing in the Senate last week by Squire Patton Boggs, a law and lobbying firm.
Squire Patton Boggs declined to comment.
The disclosure form said Lott and Breaux would focus their efforts on banking laws and regulations, "including applicable sanctions." The disclosure was first reported by the watchdog group Center for Public Integrity.
Gazprombank is owned in part by Russian state-run energy giant Gazprom. In July, several countries blocked the bank from raising long-term capital in Western financial markets in response to Russia's suspected backing of rebels in eastern Ukraine.
Lott, a Republican from Mississippi, spent 34 years in Congress before retiring in 2007. Lott and Breaux, a Democrat from Louisiana, founded their own lobbying firm, Breaux Lott Leadership Group, which Patton Boggs acquired in 2010.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.