Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch reportedly attempted to discreetly persuade the Department of Defense to eliminate a contentious Chinese drone company from a U.S. list of Chinese companies associated with the communist country’s military.
According to Reuters, SZ DJI Technology Co. sought help from Lynch and two other former U.S. officials to be removed from the list.
The other officials were former Assistant United States Attorney Michael Gertzman and Associate White House Counsel in the Obama administration Roberto Gonzalez.
Lynch urged for the immediate removal of the designation due to the widespread use of drones in the U.S.
She also asked for a meeting with the department to discuss the matter.
In 2021, the Pentagon stated that DJI poses a potential risk to U.S. national security.
The report highlighted that the letter, of which it acquired a copy, exemplifies why U.S. officials are advocating for the closure of loopholes in the law that enable lawyers and lobbyists to evade disclosing their activities for foreign companies that may be liable to U.S. sanctions.
All three ex-U.S. officials, currently colleagues at the Paul, Weiss law firm, jointly signed the letter to the Pentagon official in the previous year.
The FARA loophole means that individuals engaged in commercial activities and legal representation are not obligated to report their work to the U.S. government.
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