PR Watch
keeping an eye on the Kingdom's PR

Potomac Square Group
Nature of Business: Public relations
Website: http://psqgrp.com/
Headquarters:
644 9th St. NE
Washington, DC 20002 (map)
Fees and Expenses: $20,000

Relationship with Bahrain Government

Potomac Square Group is a Washington DC-based public relations company set up in February 2011 by former Wall Street Journal reporter Christopher Cooper. Three days after the eruption of Bahrain's Arab spring protests on February 14, 2011, the Bahrain's Embassy in Washington DC signed a one-month (renewable) contract with Potomac Square Group worth $20,000. Potomac initially described this work in these words:

Registrant will provide public affairs and strategic communications counsel to foreign principal. Such counsel may include written and oral advice on dealing with reporters and public officials. Service may include outreach to reporters and others in an effort to explain various positions held by the government of Bahrain.

A later disclosure explained that Potomas was specifically "to enlist Washington and US support for the Crown Prince of Bahrain's 'National Dialogue' initiative". This was done mostly by sending emails and phone calls to American media outlets, namely: CNN, NBC News, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, LA Times, National Times and the Associated Press.

Potomac's work for the Bahrain Embassy expired on March 17, 2011, without being renewed. This work was probably taken up by the likes of Qorvis Communications which was hired soon afterwards.

Fees and Expenses

$20,000 for one month of work

Date of Hiring

February 17, 2011

Relevant Personnel

Key Documents

Further Reading