GREEN & GLOVER: Salahis began Journey long ago

Tareq and Michaele Salahi, known to most everyone on Planet Earth these days as the “White House dinner crashers,” apparently have some rock star “best friends.”

G2 has learned exclusively that Mr. and Mrs. Salahi recorded promotional videos with arena rock veterans Journey for the 2007 America’s Polo Cup, the Salahis’ charity sporting event.

In a video obtained by The Washington Times, members of the band, known for hits like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” pose in the background as the Salahis welcome guests to the 2007 match between English and American polo teams.

The event was tied to a celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Va., the first permanent English settlement on the North American mainland.

According to Steve Winter, whose firm Brotman Winter Fried Communications was hired by Mr. Salahi to manage public relations and advertising for the event, Mr. and Mrs. Salahi flew to London to record television and radio spots with Journey, who agreed to do them as “a personal favor” for their “friends,” the Salahis.

The Salahis gave a tape of the spots, which included several outtakes, to Mr. Winter to turn into PSAs for local media, with strict instructions that the tape must be returned to them.

A year later, Mr. Winter claimed the Salahis owed his firm more than $20,000 in back payments for services his firm provided for the event and planned to take the couple to court.

According to Mr. Winter, Mr. and Mrs. Salahi countersued for $65,000 because Mr. Winter lost the original tape, although a copy of the PSAs had been preserved.

A judge eventually threw both lawsuits out of court.

An e-mail to the Salahis seeking comment and calls to representatives for Journey had not been returned by press time.

• To contact Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Glover, e-mail undercover@washingtontimes.com.