While the bill mentioned no countries, its supporters acknowledged that it took direct aim at Saudi Arabia. The veterans’ lobbying effort began within a month after the vote. Jones told the AP on a conference call he organized with other veterans that all involved clearly were told that Saudi money funded the effort. Between 1966 to 2015, the Justice Department has brought only seven criminal cases involving the act, according to an inspector general report released in September. “The whole point is that this [foreign lobbying] is perfectly legal, but we have a right to know,” he said.

Source: Egypt Independent May 11, 2017 06:11 UTC