The first: the relevance of their ideas to the Libyan authorities whom they would meet.

The second: “the strength of their influence in guiding US foreign policy.”

The list of visitors forms an all-star lineup of academics from Harvard and other top institutions, including Harvard Kennedy School professor Robert D. Putnam—an expert on democracy theory—and former Harvard Kennedy School Dean Joseph S. Nye.

Putnam has since said that he was unaware of the program’s intention to influence public opinion and that he would not have participated had he known.

The memo, co-authored by Monitor’s director and its CEO, former Harvard Business School Professor Mark B. Fuller, was leaked in 2009,

It said that “Libya has suffered from a deficit of positive public relations and adequate contact with a wide range of opinion-leaders and contemporary thinkers.”

It continued, “This program aims to redress the balance in Libya’s favor.”

The memo further stated that Monitor would encourage the publication of articles favorable to Libya in some of America’s most reputable newspapers and magazines, and that the company would work with Libya’s lobbyists to identify influential Americans—writers, professors, politicians, and others—who “need to be approached ... to enhance their understanding and appreciation of Libya.”

Kamer also said the consultants wrote a book proposal for a never-realized work in which Gaddafi would voice his political views. In addition, they did research for Gaddafi’s son to use in his doctoral thesis at the London School of Economics.

“It’s a real aberration from the work they do,” the spokesperson said. “They don’t help with dissertations.... Ghostwriting books is far from the Monitor Group’s core mission.”

SCOLDER-IN-CHIEF?

While Monitor has said its visiting scholars program was in violation of U.S. law, Lewis has focused on the consultants’ report. He first vocalized the debate at Harvard on the floor of the April Faculty of Arts and Sciences meeting.

“A tyrant wanted a crimson-tinged report that he was running a democracy, and for a price, a Harvard expert obliged in spite of abundant evidence to the contrary,” he said in April.

Lewis urged University President Drew G. Faust to take a position on the episode.

“Harvard rightly expresses its pride when a member of our community does something noble,” he said. “Shouldn’t Harvard acknowledge its embarrassment, and might you remind us that when we parlay our status as Harvard professors for personal profit, we can hurt both the University and all of its members?”