There is no signboard of Godfrey Group Limited, the company named by Healy Baumgardner-Nardone, a former campaign aide to President Donald Trump, in a disclosure to the Department of Justice (DoJ) as required under the country’s Foreign Agents Registration Act.
US portal The Daily Beast quoted DoJ documents which said Nardone’s firm, The 45 Group, provided “government relations and public relations services in support of the Government of Malaysia and strengthening the US-Malaysian relationship”.
It said Nardone received a payment of US$250,000 (RM1.07 million) from Godfrey Group Ltd for the services.
The form also listed two addresses of the company, one in Johor Bahru, and another at the “Office of the Prime Minister” in Putrajaya.
Yesterday, Putrajaya denied the report.
“Neither the Prime Minister’s Office or the government of Malaysia has instructed, appointed or contracted in any form with the Godfrey Group Ltd, the 45 Group or Healy Baumgardner-Nardone,” said a statement by Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad, press secretary to Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Nardone quit Trump’s election campaign towards the end of the presidential race, but reportedly maintains close ties to the Republican president’s inner circle.