The Podesta Group linked to Mitch McConnell and Jeb Bush

In an October 30, 2017 column titled “The Podesta Group: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know” Heavy.com reported that Kimberley Fritts, who served as the CEO of the Podesta Group for 22 years, was taking over. On November 10, 2017 The Hill reported that Fritts had stepped down to “launch a new firm.”

Why is the former CEO of the Podesta Group Kimberly Fritts so important?

Jeb Bush

Because of her close relationship with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and former Florida Governor and presidential candidate Jeb Bush.

According to Heavy.com:

Kimberley Fritts, longtime CEO of The Podesta Group, will be put in charge after company co-founder and chairman Tony Podesta stepped down on Monday [October 30th, 2017]. Fritts joined the company in 1995, according to her official bio.

[ … ]

Fritts is former Southern Political Director for the Republican National Committee and has worked for former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and former Senator Connie Mack, both Republicans.

According to NBC News:

The [Russia Probe] indictment, unsealed Monday, refers to “Company A” and “Company B” as the firms Manafort and Gates solicited in 2012 to lobby on behalf of the Ukranian [sic] government. Company A is Mercury Public Affairs and Company B is the Podesta Group, the sources said.

In a Washington Examiner article titled “Podesta Group among two companies anonymously implicated as lobbyists for Ukraine in Paul Manafort indictment” Emily Jashinsky reports:

Paragraph 20 of the indictment, signed by special counsel Robert Mueller, says Gates wrote to Company A [Mercury Public Affairs] in February of 2012 that it would be “representing the Government of Ukraine in [Washington,] DC.” If Company A [Mercury Public Affairs] did not file a FARA disclosure, it likely violated the law.

The indictment, crucially, also claims Gates wrote to both firms in November of 2012 asking them to prepare assessments of their “past and prospective lobbying efforts so the ‘President’ could be briefed by ‘Paul'” on how Ukraine could improve in 2013. Thus, that evidence would also dispute [an] attempt by Company B [The Podesta Group] to argue it was unaware its work was ultimately, if indirectly, on behalf of the Ukrainian government.

According to Politico:

Manafort organized a PR campaign on behalf of a nonprofit called the European Centre for a Modern Ukraine. Podesta Group was one of several firms that were paid to do work on the PR campaign to promote Ukraine in the U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell

In a 2013 column Politico reported:

PODESTA GROUP TO HOST MCCONNELL FUNDRAISER: Podesta Group’s Republican brethren are raising a glass and some cash for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). More than a dozen firm lobbyists, including Jim Dyer, Stephen Rademaker, David Marin, Kimberley Fritts, David Morgenstern and Mike Quaranta are among those listed as hosts for the Jan. 17 event. Cost to attend: $2,500 for PACs and $1,000 for individuals.

So now we know that while the Ukrainian lobbying effort was ongoing the Podesta Group was hosting a fundraiser for Senator Mitch McConnell attended by Kimberly Fritts and the longtime CEO of the Podesta Group worked for Jeb Bush.

The Russia probe is revealing some very interesting links to high level establishment Republicans.

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