KUALA LUMPUR (March 2): A top Republican fundraiser close to US President Donald Trump was in negotiations to earn tens of millions of dollars if the US Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped its probe into a multibillion-dollar graft scandal involving 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

In a news report today mentioning emails during the past year sighted by it, WSJ said Elliott Broidy, a venture capitalist and a long-time Republican donor, and his wife, Robin Rosenzweig, an attorney, discuss setting up a consulting contract with Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low.

"The messages include draft agreements between Ms. Rosenzweig's California law firm and representatives of Mr. Low about the possible terms of their business engagement. In one draft, there is a proposal that includes a US$75 million fee if the DOJ quickly drops its investigation," it reported.

Along with the contract drafts, WSJ said the emails also appear to show Broidy prepared talking points for Malaysia's Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak ahead of a 2017 visit to Washington that included a meeting with Trump and other officials.

"In the talking points, the prime minister was advised to state that Malaysia wanted to emphasise its work with the US in confronting North Korea, while also arguing against the US legal pursuit of the 1MDB matter.

"It isn't clear what, if anything, came of the talking points.

"The details of the purported effort to influence the Justice Department investigation were included in a cache of emails from Mr. Broidy's and his wife's email accounts that were provided to the Journal," added the report.

According to the report, a spokesman for Najib didn't respond to a request for comment on the purported talking points or his visit to Washington. The DOJ declined to comment.

However, WSJ quoted Chris Clark of Latham & Watkins LLP, on behalf of Broidy and Rosenzweig, as saying that Rosenzweig's law firm was engaged by Pras Michel "to provide strategic advice as part of a broader team to Mr. Low".

The statement added that "during the course of this engagement, a number of strategies were discussed with Mr. Broidy, Mr. Michel, and other members of the team. But at no time did Mr. Broidy or Ms. Rosenzweig, or anyone acting on their behalf, discuss Mr. Low's case with President Trump, any member of his staff, or anyone at the US Department of Justice."

Clark added that neither Colfax Law nor Broidy has ever represented Malaysia or any of its officials "in any capacity".

Both Najib and Low have consistently denied wrongdoing following the DOJ's revelations that the money trail showed that funds originating from 1MDB had gone into the prime minister's personal bank account.