A report revealed that Abdulhamid Dabaiba's Government of National Unity contracted with a lobbying group in the United States, in order to support its vision regarding the transitional phase and holding elections, as well as facilitating meetings with the Biden White House.

According to Politico, Democratic lobbyist and political operative Tony Podesta is growing his slate of lobbying clients, most recently registering as a foreign agent working to further the interests of Libya’s Government of National Unity.

The work will include facilitating meetings with the White House and broader Biden administration, as well as congressional officials and the media, “to substantiate and reinforce relationships between the Client and leaders of the US Government Executive and Legislative Branches,” and serve the “dual purpose of maintaining political gains for the Libyan Government and advancing stability in Libya to foster agreement on a constitutional basis for elections in 2022,” according to a copy of the contract filed with DOJ.

Podesta had previously stepped back from politics amid controversy over being named in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. 

Doing business as Podesta.com, Podesta contracted with Tala Elemary Consulting, a Dubai-based consulting firm paid and directed by the Libyan government. The contract, signed by Podesta on April 13, notes that “fees will be negotiated within 30 days.”

Foreign agent registration records indicate that Podesta’s services will “include lobbying US Government Officials in the White House, Congress, as well as the US Media, to maintain political gains in Libya on behalf of Client, promoting a constitutional basis for elections in 2022.” 

Podesta, the brother of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign chairman John Podesta, has a long history of lobbying and foreign entanglements. He previously helmed the Podesta Group, a lobbying firm with over 100 clients and millions of dollars in annual revenue.