NEW: Two prominent lobbyists affiliated with ATLANTIC COUNCIL -- Richard Burt and Fran Burwell -- took in $2.8 million lobbying for Nord Stream 2, the pipeline supported by Putin.
Two companies invested in Nord Stream have donated >$50k to the think tank freebeacon.com/national-secur…
Two companies invested in Nord Stream have donated >$50k to the think tank freebeacon.com/national-secur…
Burt and Burwell met with State Dept official Kathleen Kavelec in Sept. 2017. Her calendars note their affiliation with Atlantic Council. (Kavalec's next meeting happened to be with Russia's ambassador) 
Atlantic Council has 3 broad factions on Nord Stream. There's Burt/Burwell, then a very anti-pipeline cohort, and then a group that opposes Russia but also opposes sanctions on European companies (same position held by Biden).
The third faction appears to have won the debate both at AC and in Biden admin. The Council has influence on the debate, one think tank insider told me. Biden admin officials "care very much what institutions like the Atlantic Council say and think."
Atlantic Council board members have used the think tank to help controversial clients in the past. Best example is Sally Painter and Karen Tramontano, who arranged Burisma's partnership with Atlantic Council in 2017.
At AC, even the staunchest Russia hawks have sought out partnerships with Russian oligarchs. AC scholar Anders Aslund solicited the owners of Alfa Bank for donations in 2016, according to emails released in a lawsuit.
Odd enough, Alfa Bank now holds a stake in Nord Stream.
Odd enough, Alfa Bank now holds a stake in Nord Stream.
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