Washington lobbyists drop Saudi Arabia amid Khashoggi affair

A top Washington lobbying firm has told Saudi Arabia it will no longer represent the kingdom as international furore builds over the disappearance and alleged murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

A person familiar with the move says The Glover Park Group informed the Saudis on Monday of the decision. The person wasn't authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity.

Disclosure records filed with the Justice Department show the firm has been providing the Saudi Embassy with "government relations and communications counsel" for $150,000 a month.

Separately, the lobbying powerhouse BGR Group also announced it was dropping Riyadh as a client.

The firm had an $80,000-a-month contract with the Saudi government, according to US media reports.

Another lobbying firm, The Harbour Group, severed its contract with the Saudi government late last week.

The three firms earned around $2.9 million from Saudi Arabia since last year, according to Justice Department records.

Saudi Arabia has spent more than $18 million on law, lobbying, and public affairs firms since 2017, according to Bloomberg Government.

Under Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has spent millions to promote the image of the Crown Prince as a modernising reformer.

Riyadh is paying a premium rate for US lobbying firms due to the reputation of the kingdom, tarnished by the devastating war in Yemen, the mass arrests of over 200 princes, ministers and businessmen last year, and a crackdown on civil society activists.

Agencies contributed to this report.