Telecom lobbyist decamps for K&L Gates

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Jan 17, 2024 View in browser
 
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By Caitlin Oprysko

With help from Hailey Fuchs and Daniel Lippman

K&L GATES NABS TRAHERN: Longtime Comcast lobbyist Joe Trahern has left the telecom giant after almost a decade and a half to join K&L Gates as an of counsel in the firm’s public policy and law practice.

— Trahern has been with Comcast since 2009, helping the company sell its takeover of NBC Universal. For the past decade, Trahern served as executive director and senior director for federal government affairs, and had been the company’s lead lobbyist for outreach to Senate Democrats. Before that, Trahern was director of legislative and regulatory affairs at General Motors during the height of the Great Recession and ensuing auto bailout.

BANKING GROUPS TEE OFF ON OVERDRAFT PROPOSAL: The CFPB rolled out its long-awaited proposal this morning seeking to rein in bank overdraft fees, and the banking industry — which had already launched a series of prebuttals to the expected rule — wasted no time going after the plan.

— The administration’s proposal “would allow banks to charge fees to cover the cost and losses associated with providing the service for courtesy overdrafts — either a ‘breakeven’ fee based on the bank’s own calculation or a benchmark fee,” per our Katy O’Donnell.

— “This proposal on overdraft price setting is just the latest in a myriad of unnecessary and costly regulations by this Administration that seems guided by political polling, rather than by sound policy created by what should be independent agencies,” Consumer Bankers Association chief Lindsey Johnson said in a statement.

— Johnson, along with her counterpart at the American Bankers Association, Rob Nichols, pointed to the banking industry’s voluntary moves in recent years to lower or eliminate overdraft fees, accusing the CFPB of issuing a one-size-fits-all mandate that the groups warned could reverse that progress and impede further improvements.

— “The proposal would upset this competitive market, restricting access to overdraft with a government-imposed price cap,” Nichols said in a statement, which also refuted the CFPB’s legal authority for the proposal.

Independent Community Bankers of America President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey praised the proposed rule’s exemption for smaller community banks but said the group would continue to review the proposal and push for “tiered regulation for community banks” outside the proposed rule’s threshold.

— “We continue to urge policymakers to cautiously consider the impact of restrictions on deposit account fees, which would have a negative ripple effect on customers and businesses that rely on these services without addressing fees for missed or late payments levied by merchants, utilities, landlords, and other payment stakeholders,” Romero Rainey said.

Happy Wednesday and welcome to PI. Huge thanks to Marcia and Hailey for pinch-hitting for me while I was out — what’d I miss? Let me know: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on the platform formerly known as Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.

 

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S-3 GROUP LOBBYISTS NAB JOHNSON FUNDRAISER: As he looks to build off a record fundraising quarter to close out 2023, House Speaker Mike Johnson has got another K Street fundraiser on the books for the beginning of next month, according to an invite obtained by our Hailey Fuchs.

— The Feb. 6 dinner will feature House Majority Leader Steve Scalise as a special guest, and is being hosted by a pair of Scalise allies downtown, S-3 Group’s Matt Bravo and Marty Reiser, along with Sazerac’s corporate PAC. Tickets for the fundraiser start at $2,500, with the option to pay as much as $10,000 to be named a sponsor or $15,000 to be named a host.

RIVKIN RE-UPS: Charlie Rivkin has renewed his contract for a third three-year term as chair and chief executive of the Motion Picture Association. Rivkin became head of the Hollywood trade group in 2018, and oversaw the movie industry’s recovery from the pandemic and the group’s move for a more global footprint, including by dropping “of America” from the group’s name.

— “Over the next three years, my team and I will continue to navigate paradigm shifts in technology, advances in distribution models, and changes in consumer tastes and behavior,” Rivkin said in a statement nodding at ongoing policy fights. Rivkin helped stand up the Streaming Innovation Alliance to push back on calls for changing streaming regulations last year, and MPA has been active in the AI policy debate on the Hill.

HBS LAUNCHES PUBLIC AFFAIRS PRACTICE: Husch Blackwell Strategies, the Missouri-based lobbying firm that’s home to former GOP Sen. Roy Blunt and several of his former aides and children, is launching a new public affairs practice, HBS Public Affairs.

Marianna Deal and Kirsty McDonald are joining HBS to lead the new practice. Deal, who spent close to three decades with the PR firm FleishmanHillard, will be chair and most recently was senior adviser for communications for Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.). McDonald will be president and most recently was principal at Two Skies Group.

FUJIFILM PHARMA ARM DROPS INTO D.C.:Fujifilm Holdings America is establishing a Washington presence, hiring lobbyists to highlight its work in the biopharmaceutical industry as Congress considers ways to help avert drug shortages and increase domestic manufacturing of medicines,” our Megan Wilson reports.

— “It’s focused on advocacy for Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, a subsidiary of the company that is a manufacturing partner to drugmakers — known as a contract development and manufacturing organization, or CDMO — for biologics, vaccines, advanced therapies and oncolytic viruses, a therapy used to treat cancer.”

— “Crystal Fry-Vanuch, who started at the company last year but only recently registered to lobby, will oversee its government affairs and policy operation. … The company has also contracted with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, the second-largest lobbying firm in D.C. by revenue,” as well as GOP lobbying firm CGCN Group.

— “The plan is to introduce the company to lawmakers and public health officials and its role in the domestic production of pharmaceuticals as the U.S. continues to grapple with supply chain issues in the wake of the pandemic, said Joe Metzger, the vice president of corporate communications at Fujifilm Holdings America.”

SONGWRITERS TAP ROMNEY AIDE TO LEAD D.C. OFFICE: The National Music Publishers’ Association, which represents songwriters and music publishers, has hired Chris Barkley to lead its government relations team as senior vice president of government affairs. Barkley most recently served as deputy chief of staff to Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who is retiring at the end of his term after becoming one of the top deal-makers in the Senate over the past few years.

— Barkley was previously policy director for the Senate Republican Policy Committee under Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), and also did stints on the Senate Homeland Security and House Oversight committees.

— “As AI and other evolving technologies threaten the value of music, it is more important than ever to have a strong voice in government on behalf of songwriters,” NMPA President and CEO David Israelite said in a statement. “As a critical advisor on influential committees and for senior lawmakers, his knowledge is virtually unmatched when it comes to understanding what it takes to make big things happen.”

BARR FIRM ADDS 9: The Torridon Group — a law and consulting firm founded by former Attorney General William Barr and former Facebook general counsel Ted Ullyot — is adding a team of new lawyers, including former White House counsel Pat Cipollone, and former deputy White House counsels Pat Philbin and Kate Todd,Axios Mike Allen reports.

— “Barr told Axios the firm, based in Virginia, will add a Washington office now that it’s equipped to take on ‘every facet of litigation, regulatory and enforcement proceedings, investigations, crisis management, and strategic counseling.’ Barr said Torridon lawyers have the perfect mix of public and private experience for complicated, high-stakes matters. But he said it’s still a ‘smaller boutique firm that can give individual attention at reasonable rates.’”

— “Also joining Torridon are Tara Helfman and John Coghlan, as partners; Chase Harrington and Kyle West, as associates; plus former White House counsel Fred Fielding and former acting DEA administrator Tim Shea, who’ll be of counsel.”

Jobs Report

Nick Sadoski has joined Navigators Global as a vice president working on national security and defense issues. He was previously director for external affairs in the office of the assistant secretary of Defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict and is a State alum.

Brian Barrett is joining Sentinel as political director. He most recently ran Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s absentee and early vote program and is a Brian Kemp alum.

Jack Bryan has joined Van Scoyoc Associates as a manager of government relations. Bryan was previously a field organizer for Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and is a Richard Shelby alum.

Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy have hired Zach Bennett as senior policy counsel and Don Green as political director. Bennett was previously legislative counsel to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Green was previously senior policy adviser to Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.).

Michael Falencki is joining Cornerstone Government Affairs as a principal. Falencki was previously deputy staff director for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

McDermott+Consulting has promoted Rachel Stauffer to vice president, Rachel Hollander to director and Priya Rathakrishnan to manager.

Zack Roday has been named partner at Ascent. He was previously Youngkin’s coordinated campaign director for the Virginia 2023 legislative elections and is a Joe O’Dea, House Energy and Commerce, Paul Ryan and Scott Walker alum.

Rick Van Buren has joined Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies. He was most recently senior health policy counsel to House Energy and Commerce ranking member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.).

— The RXN Group is acquiring 3W Insights, a strategic research firm founded by Jason Boxt, formerly with PSB, Glover Park Group and AIPAC. Boxt will be joining the RXN Group as a partner.

Anthony Williams, who left his gig as Amazon director of public policy earlier this month and once did a tour as California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s legislative affairs secretary, will lead the new Sacramento office of lobbying firm Ballard Partners.

Sydney Saubestre is joining New America as a senior policy analyst at the Open Technology Institute.

Corry Schiermeyer is now communications director for Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas). She most recently led comms for the Energy Workforce & Technology Council.

— The Crypto Council for Innovation has added Ryan Eagan as an associate director of government affairs and Patrick Kirby as policy counsel. Eagan most recently served as a legislative correspondent to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer focused on banking and housing policy, and Kirby was most recently an attorney in the U.S. policy and government relations group at the law firm Dentons.

Nick Pasternak is joining Chartwell Strategy Group as a director. He most recently served as a vice president at Firehouse Strategies.

Michael Turner is now senior adviser at Crestview Strategy. He is founder of Turner Global Solutions and a U.S. Embassy Beijing alum.

Max Becker has joined the Smith-Free Group as a vice president. He was most recently a principal at Bockorny Group.

Jonah Goldman is now head of external affairs and impact at Generate Capital. He most recently was senior adviser for public affairs at the company and senior adviser at Boston Consulting Group and previously built and led the Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy.

Chrissy Harbin is now an energy policy adviser for Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.). She previously was vice president for external affairs at Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions.

Amanda Marsh is joining ROKK Solutions as vice president of digital and paid media. She most recently served as senior director of brand and corporate partnerships at POLITICO.

Harrison Fields will be assistant director of media and public relations at The Heritage Foundation. He currently is senior adviser for comms for Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.).

Justin Murphy is joining BakerHostetler as a partner. He most recently was a partner with McDermott Will & Emery.

New Joint Fundraisers

None.

New PACs

Building a Strong America (Super PAC)

California Common Sense Trust (Super PAC)

Lehigh Valley Republican Congressional Leadership Fund (Super PAC)

Lubrizol Corp Employees PAC (PAC)

PA Congressional Conservatives Fund (Super PAC)

New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS

Actum I, LLC: Committee For Civil Debate D/B/A Ban The Batistas

Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: A&J Capital

Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: National Association Of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals

Brody Group L.L.C. Public Affairs: United Protective Technolgies

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Upwork Global Inc.

Delta Development Group, Inc.: Mifflin County Board Of Commissioners

Duane Morris Government Strategies: Diversified Upstate Enterprises LLC

Franklin Advisors, LLC: Sifma

Husch Blackwell Strategies: At&T, Inc.

Innovative Federal Strategies, LLC: Hi-Desert Water District

Michael Best Strategies LLC: Graymont

Monument Advocacy: Johnson Controls, Inc And Affiliates

Solugen Inc: Solugen Inc

Thorn Run Partners: Cnd Life Sciences

Trewadet Law: Wyandotte Nation

Wk Kellogg Co.: Wk Kellogg Co

New Lobbying Terminations

Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Indian River County, Fl

Burrell International Group LLC: Acer Therapeutics

Burrell International Group LLC: Avalo Therapeutics

Burrell International Group LLC: Hememics Biotechnologies, Inc.

Burrell International Group LLC: O’Brien Gentry & Scott LLC (On Behalf Of Dsg Technology)

Courson Nickel LLC: Venyu Solutions

Dentons Global Advisors Government Relations LLC: Illumina, Inc.

Dentons Global Advisors Government Relations LLC: Tzedek Association

Diroma Eck & Co. LLP: Chainalysis Inc.

Feminist Majority, The: Feminist Majority The

Forbes-Tate: Project Ai

Forbes-Tate: United Musculoskeletal Partners, LLC

Health Policy Source, Inc.: Centene Corporation

Hettinger Strategy Group LLC: Coalfire Systems

Hettinger Strategy Group LLC: Hirevue Inc.

Kadesh & Associates, LLC: City Of Los Angeles

Kadesh & Associates, LLC: County Of Riverside

Kenneth Gear: Leading Builders Of America

Miller & Chevalier Chartered: Stenson Tamaddon, LLC

Ridge Policy Group: International Economic Development Council

Robison International, Inc.: Sts International, Inc.

Squire Patton Boggs: American Chamber Of Commerce In Germany E.V.

The Majority Group, LLC: Hi55 Ventures

The Majority Group, LLC: Sagent M&C, LLC

The Prenda Group LLC: Eric Serna, Law Firm

Tiger Hill Partners LLC: Republic Consulting, LLC On Behalf Of Workiva

 

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