Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Lobbying |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, Charles Black |
| Defunct | 1996 |
| Fate | Merged with Gold & Liebengood to form BKSH & Associates |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
Area served | United States, foreign governments |
Key people | Charles R. Black Jr., Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, Peter G. Kelly, R. Scott Pastrick, James C. Healey, Jr. |
| Products | Lobbying services |
Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly (abbreviated as BMSK) was a lobbying organization based in Washington, D.C., originally established in 1980 by Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, and Charles Black. In 1991, Burson-Marsteller acquired the firm. BMSK focused on providing lobbying services for influential Republican figures, corporations, and foreign governments.
History
The company began under the name Black, Manafort & Stone and emerged as one of the early political consulting firms supporting Ronald Reagan's 1980 presidential bid. It maintained ties with the administrations of both George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Its inaugural client was Donald Trump. The addition of Peter G. Kelly in 1984 led to the firm's rebranding as Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly (BMSK).
BMSK’s operations involved advising and lobbying on behalf of foreign regimes and leaders, including authoritarian figures like Ferdinand Marcos from the Philippines, Mohamed Siad Barre of Somalia, Mobutu Sese Seko from Zaire, and Jonas Savimbi of Angola. From 1991 to 1992, these international engagements generated revenues amounting to $3.3 million. On the domestic front, BMSK represented significant corporate clients such as Bethlehem Steel, News Corp, and the Tobacco Institute, while also backing senatorial campaigns for politicians like Phil Gramm and Jesse Helms.
During the 1988 U.S. presidential election cycle, BMSK attracted attention due to its representation of the Bahamas amid accusations related to drug trafficking; however, the firm defended its involvement by emphasizing its efforts to facilitate U.S. assistance for anti-narcotics initiatives.
On January 1, 1991, Burson-Marsteller completed its acquisition of BMSK. Later in 1996, BMSK merged with Gold & Liebengood to create BKSH & Associates. Paul Manafort exited the company in 1995 to launch his own enterprise.
By 2007, BMSK’s office in Saint Petersburg was headed by Leonid Avrashov, who was reportedly financially connected to Rinat Akhmetov’s First Ukrainian International Bank.
Principals
- Charles R. Black Jr.
- Paul Manafort
- Roger Stone
- Peter G. Kelly
- R. Scott Pastrick
- James C. Healey, Jr.
Others
- Lee Atwater became a senior partner within the political consulting division shortly after Reagan’s successful 1984 campaign; throughout this period, the firm maintained a clear distinction between its political consulting and lobbying activities.