Randy Scheunemann

Randall J Scheunemann (196?) is an American lobbyist. He is the President of the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq, which was created by the Project for the New American Century (PNAC), of which he is a board member. He was Trent Lott's National Security Aide and was an advisor to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Iraq. He is a paid lobbyist for the country of Georgia and is 2008 Presidential candidate John McCain's foreign-policy aide. He lives in Fairfax Station, Virginia.

Family

Scheunemann moved with his family to the neighborhood of River Hills, in Burnsville, Minnesota in 1965.

*Father: Paul Scheunemann, born 1926, died 2003. Mayor of Burnsville 1978-1982. Stricken with polio at age 15, and wheelchair bound thereafter.
*Mother: Gladys born ??, died 2000
*Brother: Paul T. Scheunemann
*Wife: Patricia Scheunemann

Education and early career

Scheunemann attended public school in Burnsville, Minnesota: Sioux Trail Elementary (1966-1972), John Metcalf Junior High School (1972-1975) and finally Burnsville High School (1975-1978) from which he graduated in 1978.

Scheunemann has a degree from the University of Minnesota, and did graduate work at Tufts University. He moved to Capitol Hill in 1986, working in the office of Republican Senator Dave Durenberger. In 1993, he moved onto the staff of Republican Senator Bob Dole, as a foreign policy advisor. He left Dole's staff to work for Republican Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott.

Lobbyist

In 1998, Scheunemann went to work for the public relations firm Mercury Group.cite news | title = Lott Foreign Policy Adviser Decides to Leave | author = John Bresnahan | publisher = Roll Call | date = November 2, 1998]

During the 2002 and early 2003 campaign by the George W. Bush administration to generate public support for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Scheunemann had a close association with Iraq exile Ahmad Chalabi. [cite web| last = Marshall| first = Josh| authorlink = Josh Marshall| title = Do Your Job: Stop Ignoring Scheunemann's Past| publisher = Talking Points Memo| date = July 14, 2008| url = http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/203960.php | accessdate = 2008-07-17]

Until May 2008, Scheunemann was co-owner of a two-person Washington, D.C. lobbying firm, Orion Strategies, LLC. [http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_754jc] The firm has lobbied on behalf of the Open Society Policy Center, the Caspian Alliance and the National Rifle Association,among others. [ [http://soprweb.senate.gov/index.cfm?event=choosefields Lobbying Disclosure Act Database] ]

2008 McCain presidential advisor

While the foreign affairs advisor to Republican presidential candidate John McCain, Scheunemann was also a registered foreign agent (lobbyist) for the Republic of Georgia [Meier, Barry and Kate Zernike (May 20, 2008). [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/us/politics/20mccain.html McCain Finds a Thorny Path in Ethics Effort] . New York Times.] [Kelly, Matt (May 20, 2008). [http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-05-20-mccainadviser_n.htm McCain adviser's work as lobbyist comes to light] . USA Today. ]

On April 17, 2008, McCain spoke on the phone with Georgia President Mikheil Saakashvili about the situation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two troubled provices that are considered part of Georgia but have been de facto independent since 1990. That same day, McCain issued a public statement condemning Russia and expressing strong support for the Georgian position. Also on that same day, Georgia signed a new, $200,000 lobbying contract with Scheunemann's firm, Orion Strategies. Scheunemann remained with Orion Strategies until May 15, when the McCain campaign imposed an anti-lobbyist policy and he was required to separate himself from the company. [Matthew Mosk and Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/12/AR2008081202932.html?nav=rss_politics "While Aide Advised McCain, His Firm Lobbied for Georgia: Campaign Dismisses Timing of Phone Call, Contract"] , "Washington Post", August 13, 2008]

In mid-July 2008, "The Sunday Times" linked Scheunemann to Stephen Payne, a lobbyist covertly filmed as he discussed a lobbying contract and offered to arrange meetings with Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and others, and recomended donations to the George W. Bush Presidential Library. Payne said Scheunemann had been "working with me on my payroll for five of the last eight years." [Daniel Foggo and Steven Swinford, [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article4364429.ece "President Bush lobbyist Stephen Payne in ‘bribes’ row quits: Cash for access at the White House is under scrutiny by Congress"] , The Sunday Times, July 20, 2008]

References

External links

* [http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,567052,00.html "Obama's Trip Is a Campaign Prop"] - interview with Scheuneman, July 21, 2008