A new report from The Hill claims that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election is generating anxiety among many Washington DC lobbyists who may now find themselves vulnerable to criminal charges.
According to The Hill, “Mueller has uncovered a web of alleged criminality linked to violations of a World War II-era law enacted amid concerns over foreign propaganda” that could also be used to nail a number of other DC lobbyists who have been breaking the law for years.
Mueller has already referred lobbyist-related cases to other prosecutors, including cases involving former associates of one-time Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
However, one lobbyist tells The Hill that others in the industry fear this could be just the tip of the iceberg.
“When you become ground zero for what America is angry about. anything can happen,” the source said. “All it takes is a couple of scandals.”
Another lobbyist interviewed by The Hill, meanwhile, complained that these cases could give Americans the purportedly false impression that all lobbyists are involved in shady dealings with foreign governments.
“One bad lobbyist can tarnish the whole industry,” the source complained.
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