Free Republic

A Washington lobbying shop filed a $1 million defamation suit Friday against the Democratic Party of Virginia and a legislative candidate over an ad that links the firm to the abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The Livingston Group, founded by former U.S. Rep. Bob Livingston, is asking a Fairfax County court to rule on the accuracy of a mail ad that Democrat Rex Simmons used to attack Del. Tim Hugo, R-Herndon. Hugo is a part-time lobbyist with the firm. The Democratic Party of Virginia paid for the ad, but Simmons’ campaign approved it. The ad in question...

WASHINGTON — The Iraqi lawyer who led U.S. forces to former POW Jessica Lynch has accepted a job offer from Washington lobbying firm The Livingston Group days after the United States granted him asylum. The company, founded by former U.S. Rep. Bob Livingston, said details on 33-year-old Mohammed Odeh al-Rehaief's new responsibilities were still in the works. A good deal of The Livingston Group's business is international, the company said, and some clients are from Arabic-speaking countries. The company also said al-Rehaief is eager to improve his English, and will take intense language lessons.