Top Senate Democrat urges Rubio to review conduct of US ambassador to Greece

A leading Senate Democrat has called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to review the conduct of the US ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, after reports that a registered lobbyist repeatedly accompanied her in official government meetings.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen said she was "troubled" by the reports, which raise questions about the presence of a registered lobbyist in meetings conducted in an official diplomatic capacity. Shaheen's call for a review places the matter directly before the State Department's leadership.

Questions over access and official meetings

The concern centers on the appropriateness of a registered lobbyist, who by definition represents private interests before the government, taking part in meetings that were part of Guilfoyle's official duties as ambassador. Such arrangements can raise questions about potential conflicts of interest or improper influence in diplomatic business, which is why Shaheen is asking Rubio, as the top US diplomat, to look into it.

Guilfoyle has served as the US ambassador to Greece, a role that involves representing US interests and engaging with Greek officials and institutions on behalf of the US government.

It was not immediately clear how the State Department would respond to Shaheen's request for a review, or whether further details about the lobbyist's identity and the nature of the meetings in question would be made public as the matter is examined.