Brian Ballard's Washington firm lands another big lobbying contract

Lobbyist Brian Ballard has landed another big Washington contract, picking up Halkbank, a Turkish state-owned bank.

Ballard Partners already represents the government of Turkey, which is paying the firm $1.5 million this year, the same as the one-year Halkbank contract inked this week.

Both are overseen by former Democratic Rep. Robert Wexler, who joined the firm as it expanded to Washington this year, Ballard capitalizing on a tight relationship with President Donald Trump.

Already Ballard Partners has taken in more than $3.5 million in income from its Washington operation, with major clients being Amazon.com ($140,000); American Road & Transport Builders Association ($200,000); Reynolds American ($220,000) Geo Group ($250,000); and U.S. Sugar ($300,000), according to records.

“I would imagine if Hillary Clinton were elected I wouldn’t be here,” Ballard told the Tampa Bay Times earlier this year. Read that profile below -- and questions raised about Trump‘s vow to “drain the swamp.”