Free Republic

<p>May 1, 2002 -- WASHINGTON - Saudi Arabia has hired a slew of D.C.'s most powerful lobbying and p.r. firms - including turning to an ad-buying company that's helped top Republicans - to buff its post-9/11 image, The Post has learned. One firm, Sandler-Innocenzi, which has worked for the Republican National Committee, recently was used by the Saudis to place TV spots portraying the kingdom as an ally against terrorism, according to the group that won the contract.</p>

The FBI searched offices of a prominent public relations firm Tuesday, looking for information about its client Saudi Arabia, law enforcement sources said. The firm, Qorvis Communications LLC, which was founded in 2000, bills itself as providing "communications for Wall Street, Main Street and K Street." Qorvis has offices in the District and Tysons Corner, and its clients also include Time Warner Inc. and the Urban League. The FBI searched three of the firm's offices Tuesday afternoon, sources said. Michael Mason, head of the FBI's Washington field office, declined yesterday to characterize the nature of the investigation or identify the...