Black, Manafort & Stone lobbying firm founded, nicknamed 'Torturers' Lobby'

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Intelligence Privatization Regulatory Capture International Kleptocracy

Republican operatives Charlie Black, Paul Manafort, and Roger Stone founded Black, Manafort & Stone in 1980, pioneering the modern lobbying industry. The firm became infamous as the ‘Torturers’ Lobby’ for representing dictators including Ferdinand Marcos, Mobutu Sese Seko, and Jonas Savimbi. A 1992 Center for Public Integrity report detailed how the firm earned millions whitewashing brutal regimes while maintaining close ties to Republican administrations, with Donald Trump as their first client.

Sources & Citations

[1] Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly - Wikipedia · Jan 1, 2024 Tier 2

[2] On Paul Manafort and foreign lobbying: a Q&A with the author of "The Torturers' Lobby" · Aug 19, 2016 Tier 1

[3] THE TORTURERS' LOBBY · Jan 1, 1992 Tier 1

Tiers Tier 1 court records & gov docs · Tier 2 established outlets · Tier 3 regional & specialty press · Tier 4 opinion or single-source. Methodology →

Cite this entry

The Cascade Ledger. “Black, Manafort & Stone lobbying firm founded, nicknamed 'Torturers' Lobby'.” The Capture Cascade Timeline, January 1, 1980. https://capturecascade.org/event/1980-01-01--black-manafort-stone-founded/