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<\/div>\n\u00a9 Getty Images<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\nPresident-elect Donald Trump<\/a><\/span>‘s likely pick for secretary of State, Rudy Giuliani, faces potential conflicts of interest should he be appointed to the position.<\/p>\nThe former New York City mayor has been paid millions as a lawyer and consultant for foreign governments, according to a Politico<\/a> report. The outlet notes that such ties \u2014 some with clients who were at odds with U.S. foreign policy \u2014 were considered a major issue during Giuliani\u2019s presidential run in the 2008 cycle.<\/p>\nHe collected millions working for foreign governments including Qatar and Venezuela, and he made paid speeches to help an exiled Iranian political party be removed from terror lists.<\/p>\n
He also advised a group with ties to the Keystone XL pipeline, Politico said.<\/p>\n
The International Business Times noted<\/a> he represented Purdue Pharma, which makes OxyContin, and worked for law firms that represented\u00a0the chewing tobacco lobby and the casino industry.<\/p>\nHe joined the\u00a0Bracewell<\/a>\u00a0law firm in Houston \u2014 a longtime lobbyist for the government of Saudi Arabia \u2014 the paper added.<\/p>\nFinancial\u00a0disclosure\u00a0forms from his presidential bid show he earned more than $4 million from his security consulting firm, Giuliani Partners, in 2006, and made another $1.2 million from his work at Bracewell, the New York Daily News reported<\/a> at the time.<\/p>\nWhile Giuliani never personally registered as a lobbyist, many of his subsidiaries did just that under his name.<\/p>\n
According to Politico, Bracewell and Giuliani lobbied at the federal level for Southern Company, Duke Energy, Energy Future Holdings, Arch Coal, Chesapeake Energy and NuStar Energy. Another law firm Giuliani joined in 2005 lobbied for Citgo, a U.S. subsidiary of the Venezuelan state oil company.<\/p>\n
These ties could be perceived as conflicts of interest should Trump nominate Giuliani to be secretary of State, especially given that Trump has promised to rid the White House of lobbyists and to \u201cdrain the swamp\u201d of Washington insiders.<\/p>\n
Giuliani has been an outspoken supporter of Trump, often making appearances as a surrogate on the campaign trail.<\/p>\n
John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, is reportedly also considered a leading contender for head of the State Department. Bolton is known for his hawkish foreign policy and penned an op-ed last year calling for the U.S. to bomb Iran to stop its nuclear program.<\/p>\n
The former New York City mayor has been paid millions as a lawyer and consultant for foreign governments, according to a Politico<\/a> report. The outlet notes that such ties \u2014 some with clients who were at odds with U.S. foreign policy \u2014 were considered a major issue during Giuliani\u2019s presidential run in the 2008 cycle.<\/p>\n He collected millions working for foreign governments including Qatar and Venezuela, and he made paid speeches to help an exiled Iranian political party be removed from terror lists.<\/p>\n He also advised a group with ties to the Keystone XL pipeline, Politico said.<\/p>\n The International Business Times noted<\/a> he represented Purdue Pharma, which makes OxyContin, and worked for law firms that represented\u00a0the chewing tobacco lobby and the casino industry.<\/p>\n He joined the\u00a0Bracewell<\/a>\u00a0law firm in Houston \u2014 a longtime lobbyist for the government of Saudi Arabia \u2014 the paper added.<\/p>\n Financial\u00a0disclosure\u00a0forms from his presidential bid show he earned more than $4 million from his security consulting firm, Giuliani Partners, in 2006, and made another $1.2 million from his work at Bracewell, the New York Daily News reported<\/a> at the time.<\/p>\n While Giuliani never personally registered as a lobbyist, many of his subsidiaries did just that under his name.<\/p>\n According to Politico, Bracewell and Giuliani lobbied at the federal level for Southern Company, Duke Energy, Energy Future Holdings, Arch Coal, Chesapeake Energy and NuStar Energy. Another law firm Giuliani joined in 2005 lobbied for Citgo, a U.S. subsidiary of the Venezuelan state oil company.<\/p>\n These ties could be perceived as conflicts of interest should Trump nominate Giuliani to be secretary of State, especially given that Trump has promised to rid the White House of lobbyists and to \u201cdrain the swamp\u201d of Washington insiders.<\/p>\n Giuliani has been an outspoken supporter of Trump, often making appearances as a surrogate on the campaign trail.<\/p>\n John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, is reportedly also considered a leading contender for head of the State Department. Bolton is known for his hawkish foreign policy and penned an op-ed last year calling for the U.S. to bomb Iran to stop its nuclear program.<\/p>\n