Lawyer Involved in Carter’s Reelection Registers As Foreign Agent Lobbying on Behalf of Libya

Richard Shadyac, a Washington lawyer reported to have been appointed by the Carter-Mondale Reelection Committee to head an Arab-American drive on behalf of President Carter’s reelection, was disclosed yesterday to be registered with the Department of Justice as a foreign agent lobbying on behalf of the Libyan government.

Shadyac, a Maronite Christian of Lebanese descent, is registered as chairman of the Arab-American Dialogue Committee which is identified as a lobbying organization for Libya. It has listed expenditures of more than $217,000 since last March, part of it political contributions to certain Congressmen and Senators.

According to press reports today, a spokesman for Carter campaign committee chairman Robert Strauss denied that Shadyac was associated with the committee or that he had ever been formally offered a job with it. Shadyac could not be reached for comment. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that Shadyac was picked by the Carter-Mondale committee to head the Arab-American committee to reelect Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale.

Shadyac himself confirmed to the JTA that “there are three-and-a-half million Arab Americans in the United States now and with luck I would say that 85 to 90 percent of them will vote for Carter.” (See July 16 Daily News Bulletin.) Shadyac is a former president of the National Association of Arab Americans (NAAA) whose leaders have been in the forefront against Israel and supportive of Arab states opposed to the Camp David accords.

BILLY CARTER ALSO REGISTERS AS AGENT

According to Justice Department records, Shadyac, in his capacity as a lobbyist, reports to Ahmed Shahati, head of the Foreign Liaison Office of Libya. Another registered agent for the Libyan government who also reports to Shahati is Billy Carter, the President’s brother. Billy Carter arranged for Shahati to appear on the ABC television “Good Morning America” program, Shadyac and Billy Carter have attended social events with Shahati here.

Billy Carter registered this week with the Justice Department as an agent for the Libyan government after the Department filed papers in Federal District Court charging that he had violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act by failing to report services. that he had rendered to the Libyan government since 1978. Carter reportedly admitted receiving more than $200,000 in payment, two all-expense paid trips in September 1979, as well as four gold bracelets, a saddle worth more than $2000, a serving platter, a suit of clothes and a ceremonial sword.