A federal criminal lobbying case has drawn President Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles into its orbit, intensifying concerns about her extensive ties to controversial corporate and foreign lobbying clients. The development underscores warnings from government watchdog groups that Wiles’ lobbying history presents serious conflicts of interest for someone occupying one of the most powerful positions in the White House.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed in a recent court filing that Wiles was subpoenaed in December as a witness in the prosecution of former Republican Congressman David Rivera and his associate Esther Nuhfer. The DOJ filing sought to quash the subpoena, arguing that Wiles has no direct connection to the alleged crimes.
The Rivera Case and Alleged Violations of Foreign Lobbying Laws
Rivera and Nuhfer are accused of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) by secretly lobbying on behalf of sanctioned Venezuelan billionaire Raúl Gorrín. According to a December 2024 grand jury indictment, Rivera attempted to influence senior US officials to remove Gorrín from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.
Prosecutors allege Rivera helped conceal Gorrín’s criminal activities and created fraudulent shell companies to disguise lobbying efforts. He allegedly received more than $5.5 million for his services without registering as a foreign agent, a requirement under US law.
Media reports have also alleged that Rivera and Nuhfer sought to normalize relations between the Maduro regime and Washington while Rivera’s consulting firm secured a $50 million lobbying contract with a US subsidiary of Venezuela’s state oil company.
Wiles’ Lobbying Work Linked to Sanctioned Venezuelan Interests
Attorneys for Rivera subpoenaed Wiles to testify about her work at Ballard Partners, where she lobbied on behalf of Globovisión, a Venezuelan television station owned by Gorrín. Wiles joined Ballard shortly after managing Trump’s presidential campaign in Florida, bringing significant political influence and access to the firm.
According to reports, Gorrín sought to leverage Wiles’ political connections to gain access to the Trump administration at a time when US sanctions on Venezuela were escalating. Globovisión’s efforts to expand into the US market faced regulatory hurdles due to sanctions and Federal Communications Commission restrictions on foreign ownership of broadcast stations.
Defense lawyers want Wiles to testify about communications between Ballard Partners and Gorrín, and any attempts to influence Trump’s administration regarding Venezuela. They also subpoenaed Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who allegedly met privately with Rivera, Nuhfer, and Gorrín in Washington in 2017.
DOJ Downplays Wiles’ Role but Questions Persist
In its court filing, the DOJ argued that Wiles had no apparent involvement in Rivera’s alleged FARA violations. However, the mere fact that the sitting White House chief of staff has been subpoenaed in a foreign lobbying criminal case has raised alarms among ethics experts and transparency advocates.
Public Citizen, a prominent government watchdog group, had previously warned about Wiles’ lobbying record when Trump appointed her. In a November 2024 report, the organization identified at least 42 corporate and foreign clients she represented between 2017 and 2024.
A Record of Controversial Corporate and Foreign Clients
Public Citizen described Wiles’ client roster as “extensive and littered with controversial clients who stand to benefit from having their former lobbyist running the White House.” Beyond Gorrín’s media company, Wiles represented a waste management firm that resisted efforts to remove nuclear waste from a landfill, a tobacco company seeking to block federal restrictions on flavored cigars, and a foreign mining private equity firm seeking approval for a gold mining project on federal public land.
Critics argue that such clients exemplify the revolving door between corporate lobbying and government power, raising concerns about regulatory capture and policy decisions influenced by former clients.
Democracy Advocates Warn of Structural Conflicts
Jon Golinger, a democracy advocate with Public Citizen, said the subpoena in the Rivera case intensifies questions about Wiles’ impartiality and the integrity of the administration. He argued that her deep entanglement with controversial corporate and foreign interests demonstrates why her appointment poses ethical risks.
“This kind of entanglement shows exactly why a person with Wiles’ lengthy record of controversial corporate and foreign lobbying clients is too conflicted to be running the White House,” Golinger said.
