US policymakers have long been split over how far to support the Saudi-led campaign against Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthis.

Now that debate is about to get even more complicated as southern secessionists from the port city of Aden take their grievances against the US-backed government of Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi straight to Washington. The so-called Southern Transitional Council (STC) hired Grassroots Political Consulting earlier this month for $15,000 a month to “solicit support for the STC and the people of South Yemen to regain their sovereignty and independence,” according to newly filed disclosure forms.

The firm was hired to “provide political and strategic advice to the STC” while also offering to “lobby, provide informational materials, conduct meetings and offer to testify in committee hearings.”

The secessionists’ Washington foray comes as they threatened to overthrow Hadi’s UN-recognized government on Sunday unless he replaces Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher and his cabinet with a government of technocrats. Council leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi charged the Hadi government with “waging a misinformation campaign against the southern leaders using state funds,” and accused it of being beset with “rampant corruption.”