After meeting Qatar Foundation’s vice chair during his Qatar visit, Sen. Chris Murphy praised American universities there as a way to “promote U.S. values in the Middle East and create more lasting people-to-people connections.” A CrossCurrents investigation of federal filings found that the foundation retains Venable, whose lobbying practice is co-chaired by Joshua Raymond, Murphy’s House chief of staff from 2007 to 2009.
Venable’s filings under the Foreign Agents Registration Act identify Raymond as a Qatar Foundation representative and record outreach to Murphy’s Senate office in each year from 2021 through 2025 for Qatar’s embassy. The foundation’s separate lobbying agreement covers its educational work and relationships with American universities.
A Qatar Visit With a Washington Connection
Murphy met Sheikha Hind Al Thani at Education City, according to his October 5 post. Hind is the foundation’s vice chairperson, and Education City houses American campuses, including Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon and Northwestern. Venable describes Qatar Foundation as a private nonprofit under Qatari law, partly supported by Qatar’s government.
However, it’s U.S. affiliate, Qatar Foundation International, has a separate corporate history. Delaware records date its LLC’s formation to June 9, 2011. The former QFI charity’s final return records a $506,935 transfer to Qatar Foundation; an attached certificate dates its dissolution to February 2, 2012.
The Connecticut Democrat also met Qatar’s emir at Lusail Palace on October 4 before continuing to Riyadh. His office described the congressional delegation’s purpose as examining war damage, consulting regional partners and assessing counterterrorism efforts. Murphy also said he raised concerns with the emir about Qatar’s luxury aircraft donation to the United States.
A Former Aide on Qatar Foundation’s Account
Raymond’s current Venable biography identifies him as co-chair of its Legislative and Government Affairs Group. His Qatar work is documented individually: a 2019 registration names Qatar’s embassy, while a March 2026 filing names Qatar Foundation.
The foundation’s March 26 engagement, issued under Raymond’s name, identifies Josh Finestone as its main contact, working closely with Raymond. The letter set a $25,000 monthly fee.
An amendment signed August 26 and filed the next day raised Venable’s monthly fee to $40,000, retroactive to July 1, a 60 percent increase. Signed by Qatar Foundation’s general counsel, Ali Al-Muhannadi, it expanded the existing federal outreach to include state and local officials. These fees are payable to Venable; the cited contracts do not provide for payments to Murphy personally.
The assignment concerns the foundation’s U.S. public profile and officials’ understanding of its educational support and work with American universities. Murphy’s praise concerned one of those subjects: American universities in Qatar. Murphy also sits on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which oversees higher education.
Repeated Contacts With Murphy’s Office
Earlier filings record Raymond’s approaches to Murphy’s Senate staff. Venable’s 2021 disclosure names Raymond emailing Murphy’s chief of staff, Allison Herwitt, and senior adviser Cole Bockenfeld about Qatar’s role in Afghanistan on September 24. On October 1, he emailed Herwitt about Qatar’s Shura Council elections. These were part of wider congressional outreach.
Later filings record additional outreach. On April 29, 2025, Venable recorded a phone call with Jessica Elledge, Murphy’s senior foreign policy adviser, about President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Qatar.
A subsequent filing records texts to Elledge on June 2, 4, 5 and 7, 2025, concerning the aircraft donation. Each entry identifies Qatar’s embassy as the client. Neither 2025 filing names the Venable employee responsible for these contacts with Murphy’s staff.
The November filing also reports three embassy payments totaling $120,000 for Venable’s services during the six months ending October 31, 2025. It does not allocate those payments to the contacts with Murphy’s office.
Other Qatar representatives also reported contacts with Murphy and his staff. On April 10, 2024, Murphy objected to immediate passage by unanimous consent of legislation threatening Qatar’s major non-NATO ally status. Murphy argued that downgrading the relationship would endanger hostage negotiations and U.S. military interests. BGR logged an Elledge call about Qatar legislation that day; Moran Global Strategies recorded a phone contact with Murphy labeled “Floor speech comment.” The records supply no times establishing the sequence.
Murphy also sought to block a $1.9 billion arms sale to Qatar in June 2025; the Senate rejected the move.
Venable Has Helped Arrange Doha Travel
Working for Qatar’s embassy, Venable also reported helping coordinate congressional staff travel. Its November 2024 disclosure describes a September 28–October 4 trip to Doha, including meetings with Qatar Foundation’s executive director and general counsel.
The same filing records a September 11 email to Emily Smith, then Murphy’s legislative director, concerning a “Trip to Doha.” Smith is not among the listed participants in the separately described trip. The records establish travel-related outreach to Murphy’s office and Venable’s experience arranging visits involving the foundation.
The foundation whose vice chair Murphy met has a disclosed paid relationship with his former chief’s firm. That firm has separately reported repeated outreach to his Senate office for Qatar’s embassy.
The reviewed records do not establish that Venable arranged Murphy’s October meeting, drafted his remarks or lobbied his office for Qatar Foundation. Venable’s June 12, 2026 activity report covers work through April 30, before this visit. Invitations and planning correspondence could clarify any role the firm played.
Murphy should release the invitations and planning correspondence for his Education City visit, including any exchanges with Venable. His constituents deserve to know whether the foundation’s paid representatives helped arrange the meeting he publicly promoted.
I wonder what set of American 'values' he's promoting: the traditional values that have served us well since before we became a country or those championed by the 'progressive' wing of his party. It it's the latter, I have this sneaking suspicion that we will wear out our welcome in Qatar rather quickly.