Lobbying for PutinA quick followup to yesterday’s post on the PR firm Ketchum’s work shilling for Vladimir Putin. We reported that, according to disclosure forms, Integrated Solutions Group is paid for its lobbying on behalf of Russia “through an arrangement with the Washington Group,” Ketchum’s lobbying arm. But the ties between ISG and Ketchum run even deeper.
ISG appears to share a K Street address with the Washington Group. And three of the seven “government relations consultants” listed on its website are also listed as part of the Washington Group team. One of those is John O’Hanlon, who, as we wrote yesterday, is the ISG lobbyist listed on disclosure forms as working for Russia, and is The Washington Group’s managing director. So it looks like Ketchum is responsible not just for doing PR, but also for organizing a congressional lobbying effort, on behalf of Russia.
And an additional note on Ketchum’s operation. Yesterday we wrote that Ketchum was leading an international consortium of agencies, including Brussels-based GPlus, to do PR on Russia’s behalf. But Ketchum and GPlus are both subsidiaries of the same company, Omnicom — they’re “sister companies,” as a GPlus spokesman put it.
It’s worth noting again that this is all completely above board. But it’s an interesting look at the various forms of “assistance” a company like Ketchum can offer its clients. We’ve put in a call to the Washington Group, and will let you know what we hear.