Qorvis PR in Turmoil Over Saudis, Three Partners Quit

"Saudi Arabia's latest public relations problem may be with its public relations firm. Three of the founding partners in the Washington firm, Qorvis Communications, have announced that they are leaving, and associates say their departure reflects a deep discomfort in representing the government of Saudi Arabia against accusations that Saudi leaders have turned a blind eye to terrorism. The firm, hired by the Saudi government in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, has been paid about $200,000 a month to help the Saudis bolster their battered image with the American public. The most prominent of the departing executives is Judy Smith, a former White House deputy press secretary who became the spokeswoman for Monica Lewinsky during President Clinton's impeachment ... . She and the other departing partners - Bernie Merritt and Jim Weber, two longtime Republican Party strategists - announced on Wednesday that they were leaving Qorvis to join a New York-based consulting and public relations firm, Clark & Weinstock. Spokesmen for the Saudi Embassy and Qorvis did not return phone calls for comment."