Foreign Agent Registrant Act (FARA) filings indicate that the government of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi hired DC lobbying firms Blank Rome, The Livingston Group and White and Case for more than $2 million to lobby on Libya's behalf in 2008 and 2009. Libya retained the lobbyists in 2010 but do not show recent contacts.

Sunlight Reporting Group's research notes the following:

* In 2008, the lobbyists held several meetings with members of Congress and their staff "concerning the legislative status of amending a statutory provision against U.S. trade with Libya," in an effort to boost foreign investment in the country. Around the same time as the meetings the Senate lifted the sanctions on the nation imposed after U.S declared Libya a terrorist state in the 1980s.

* In May through July 2009, the Libyan government's lobbyists contacted Rep. David Scott (D-GA), Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and former Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA), who were all on the House Foreign Affairs Committee at the time. Lobbyists also directly contacted the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the U.S. Department of State. FARA records show that these meetings were regarding the "status of U.S. Libyan relations."