With mounting criticism from Congress over its record in the war on terror, Saudi Arabia is beefing up its forces–in D.C. NEWSWEEK has learned that to strengthen ties with the White House, the Saudis have retained the high-powered law firm of former Texas GOP congressman Tom Loeffler. Loeffler, whose firm will be paid about $720,000 a year, is one of President George W. Bush's top political moneymen. He headed up fund-raising for Bush's first gubernatorial campaign and served as finance cochair for his presidential race. Loeffler also is tight with Dick Cheney. "You couldn't find anybody closer to this White House," said one D.C. consultant. A Saudi official says Loeffler will be used mostly to lobby on trade issues, but will branch out to matters such as terrorism financing when needed. The retention of Loeffler comes on top of another move that critics charge is designed to influence the White House: a $500,000 gift by Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal to help fund the newly created George Herbert Walker Bush Scholarship Fund at Phillips Academy, Andover. Alwaleed's offer of $10 million to aid 9-11 victims was refused by Rudy Giuliani. But Andover says the elite school won't reject the prince's money. And a Bush spokesperson says the former president, like his son an Andover graduate, "felt it had been given in good faith."
https://www.newsweek.com/saudis-close-ties-135269