Media: Romanian Social Democratic leader pays USD 100,000 to meet Trump

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) hired the Washington-based lobbying firm Madison & Company LLC this spring to try to get Liviu Dragnea, party leader and chairman of the Chamber of Deputies, meetings with US Vice President Mike Pence and the President of the House of Representatives in the US Congress Paul Ryan. PSD paid USD 100,000 for that in four installments, reports local Profit.ro. The last installment was paid on October 10. Dragnea also wanted to meet US president Donald Trump, according to documents published by the US lobbying company at the end of last month, in line with the transparency obligations imposed by US law. The company has committed to get Dragnea "political, press and academic meetings," including with "CNN and other mass media of great impact”. There was no formal written contract between the firm and PSD. The agreement on the provision of lobby services was set up via messages. It entered into force on June 22. Madison & Company LLC has also worked for the Romanian Government as well as for Albania, Turkey, Venezuela, Israel and Pakistan. Its corporate clients include names such as General Dynamics and Toyota. PSD leader Liviu Dragnea and former PM Sorin Grindeanu had a brief meeting with the US President at one of the dinners on the evening of Trump’s inauguration as President. Dragnea posted the photos on Facebook. The Romanian media wrote at that time that PSD had also paid to arrange that meeting. editor@romania-insider.com