BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, AUGUST 23RD2017 – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris lied to the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly and the Nation last week, when he denied paying US$53,000 to American lawyer, consultant and lobbyist, Lanny Davis, for lobbying services on behalf of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis during the first half of 2016.
“Not one cent was paid by this government to Lanny Davis for those efforts. Not one cent,” Harris told the parliament, labelling News Americas Now, which first reported on the payment, “a propaganda political rag sheet reporting fake news.”
It has now being discovered that Prime Minister Harris also paid a second U.S. company US$43,000, through Lanny Davis law firm, also for lobbying services during the first half of 2016.
Both payments made from the Office of the Prime Minister (as seen in accompanying document) were reported in compliance with the US Attorney General’s FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) Report to the United States Congress.
According to page 183 of the Report, “The government of St. Kitts & Nevis paid Lanny J. Davis & Associates, LLC of 1900 M Street, NW, Washington, DC US$52,752.30 for the six month period ending June 30, 2016 for lobbying.”
Levick Strategic Communications, LP, of 1900 M Street, NW 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20036 also reported it received from the Prime Minister’s Office of St Christopher & Nevis thru Lanny J. Davis & Associates US$43, 301.08 for the six month period ending June 30, 2016 for lobbying services.
But Dr. Harris told Parliament that he had given “his cabinet the assurance that the services of Lanny Davis were not to be on the account of this government.”
Reiterating that he has given his cabinet that no money was paid to Lanny Davis, the Prime Minister waved a paper claiming it was a letter sent to him from Deputy Accountant General, Melissa that “there is no records of payments being made to Mr. Lanny J. Davis by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis for the period January 1st 2015 to August 11th 2017.”
But the Foreign Agents Registration Act Report states two payments were made from the Office of the Prime Minister.
The issue of the payment was again raised during debate in the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly on the Public Accounts Committee Bill 2017 on 11th August by opposition Member of Parliament for St. Christopher 2 (Central Basseterre), Hon. Marcella Liburd, who accused Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris of misleading the lawmaking body in December 2015 when he stated that the professional services of Lanny Davis was free.
In presenting the 2016 Budget Address in the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly on 19th December 2015, Prime Minister Harris said at paragraph 28: “We are pleased to announce that the Cabinet has approved the retention of the professional service of Lanny J Davis and Associates to assist us in more effective engagement with the US Government. More information will be provided on this in the new year. Suffice it to report that this engagement of Mr. Davis comes at no cost to our Government.”
Lanny Davis is cofounder and partner of the law firm of Davis Goldberg & Galper PLLC, and cofounder and partner of the public relations firm Trident DMG. Lanny J. Davis is a lawyer, crisis manager, consultant, author, and television commentator providing strategic counsel to clients under scrutiny on crisis management and legal issues by combining legal, media and political strategies. He develops and manages communications programs around litigation and crises to protect brand reputations.
He is often called to serve as on camera spokesperson on behalf of an individual or corporation. Lanny represents individuals, countries, and companies in high stakes global crises, litigation, government investigations and crisis management.
*This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKN PULSE. This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical errors within press releases and (or) commentaries. The views contained within are not necessarily those of SKN PULSE.
