NEW: Qatar has retained two Washington, D.C.-based crisis management firms to "address public misconceptions" about its funding of U.S. universities in the wake of high-profile scrutiny from Congress, federal disclosures reviewed by the @FreeBeacon show. 🧵
The Qatar Foundation, a state-run nonprofit Doha uses to peddle influence in American higher education, hired Washington Media Group at a rate of $40,000 per month to provide "strategic communications support" that "enhance public understanding of its longstanding academic partnerships with U.S. universities located in Education City, Qatar," according to the firm’s March 30 federal disclosure registering it as a foreign agent.
Washington Media Group describes itself as a "female and minority owned company" that "crafts solutions to high-profile crises" and "protects and repairs reputations."
Its CEO and president—and the agent listed on the contract with the Qatar Foundation—is Crystal Patterson, who has a long history of running digital strategy and communications for Democrats, such as Hillary Clinton, former Sen. Edward Kennedy, and former Rep. Tim Ryan, and worked for the left-wing Center for American Progress focusing on "Immigration and Diversity Policy," according to her bio.
She's also a graduate of Northwestern University, which boasts a Doha campus (NU-Q) that holds a contract with Qatar forbidding its students and faculty from criticizing the Qatari regime.
The Qatar Foundation also retained the law firm Venable at a monthly rate of $25,000 for government relations services "pertaining to the public profile of the Foundation," according to a March 31 foreign agent filing.
Venable will "help ensure that members of Congress and the administration have an accurate understanding of Qatar Foundation's support for education and its work with U.S. universities."
Representing the foundation is Ronald Jacob, a Venable partner who "leads clients through crises involving government investigations, litigation, and media exposure," according to his bio. "He combines legal strategy with public communications insight to help clients manage high-stakes, high-visibility situations" and has experience responding to congressional investigations.
Read more: freebeacon.com/campus/qatar-h…
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