Local business groups fly in

May 02, 2024

With Daniel Lippman

LOCAL BIZ GROUPS FLY IN: A cadre of local business and economic development leaders are flocking to Washington for fly-ins this week as part of National Small Business Week. That includes business leaders affiliated with the Silicon Valley-funded Connected Commerce Council, who met with staff on the Hill and the White House today to flag their concerns with the bipartisan data privacy bill unveiled last month.

— The proposal from Senate Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) “would make digital advertising more expensive and less effective for small businesses, which ultimately gives larger companies the upper hand,” said Casey McLean, a spokesperson for 3C.

— The group has mobilized previously against antitrust legislation targeting tech giants like Amazon and Google — both of which gave it funding as recently as last year. It supports a federal data privacy framework but is calling for a more “balanced” solution that wouldn’t be too cumbersome for small businesses.

— Business leaders met with almost a dozen lawmakers as well as staff for 20 more, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office, and Tresa Joseph and Kevin Myers of the White House National Economic Council.

— Leaders from the Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce and Portland Metro Chamber of Commerce were in town earlier this week, where the joint fly-in’s 150 participants met with almost every member of their respective congressional delegations. The groups discussed ways to improve transportation infrastructure and affordable housing and childcare.

— Business leaders from Texas’ Gulf Coast were in D.C. as well with the Greater Houston Partnership. Nearly 100 attendees met with lawmakers from Texas, Louisiana and beyond, and with Biden administration officials, to talk about energy, infrastructure and workforce development.

Happy Thursday and welcome to PI. Huge thanks to Megan, Marcia and Hailey for filling in for me this week while I tried to show my new co-pilot Riggs the ropes of the newsletter. Alas, for now, the only tips he’s interested in are of the freeze-dried liver variety, but send along your best K Street gossip and puppy survival advice: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on the platform formerly known as Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.

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COMING TO A FUNDRAISER NEAR YOU: “Gov. Ron DeSantis is poised to take the most public steps yet to rebuild his political future after dropping out of the 2024 presidential race,” our Gary Fineout reports. And despite a very public falling out with Donald Trump, “DeSantis will soon use his connections and fundraising network to help the former president — and is expected to bring in millions of dollars.”

— “But he’s also raising money for members of Congress, including Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Laurel Lee (R-Fla.). Both backed his bid for president. DeSantis is also planning to head out of state to campaign with GOP candidates for U.S. Senate. ‘The governor is still a very powerful brand and a powerful fundraiser,’ said one Florida Republican fundraiser who was granted anonymity to speak freely.”

— “The governor’s cooperation with Trump remains somewhat surprising. …But after raising tens of millions for his reelection campaign — some of which was shifted to a super PAC for his presidential bid — he still has connections with a raft of large donors. And he promised to tap into those donors during a weekend meeting with Trump that was arranged by Florida real-estate developer and investor Steve Witkoff.”

SPEAKING OF FLORIDA FUNDRAISERS: Ballard Partners is hosting House Speaker Mike Johnson for a Washington fundraiser next week, according to an invite obtained by PI. The May 8 breakfast will be hosted by firm founder Brian Ballard as well as former Rep. Jeff Miller, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and former Florida House members Jose Diaz and Dane Eagle among half a dozen other staffers of the firm.

— The event benefits Johnson’s joint fundraising committee with the RNC, NRCC, Congressional Leadership Fund and dozens of state Republican parties, GOP challengers and vulnerable Republican incumbents, with a max donation of $777,700 for individuals. It comes as Johnson forges closer ties to Trump amid a revolt from the right wing of the conference and as he steps up his money game to protect Republicans’ narrow majority amid comparisons to Johnson’s rainmaker of a predecessor.

IF YOU MISSED IT WEDNESDAY: “A Senate Budget Committee hearing Wednesday gave Democrats the chance to highlight new findings in an ongoing congressional investigation seeking to prove that major oil companies waged a decadeslong climate disinformation campaign,” our Emma Dumain writes.

— “Democrats on Tuesday released a trove of documents showing how oil and gas companies, and their lobby groups, tried to shape the narrative around fossil fuels, including engaging academia.”

— “The Budget Committee hearing was, in many ways, a culmination of Chair Sheldon Whitehouse’s efforts to link the worsening climate crisis to economic calamity. … The hearing was called to spotlight the massive trove of private correspondence, memos, presentations and talking points from top executives at Exxon Mobil, Chevron, BP, Shell, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Petroleum Institute.”

— “All of these files were obtained by the House Oversight Committee through subpoenas in the previous session of Congress, when they had control of the chamber. But Democratic staff didn’t have time to complete its review of the documents before Republicans took over after the 2022 midterms,” leading White House and House Oversight ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) — the hearing’s star witness — to develop a joint report detailing the findings, which Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) accused of trying to manufacture a conspiracy.

ALSO FLYING IN: Wine Origins Alliance, a global coalition of wine regions working to eliminate barriers to trade in wine, held a fly-in today in honor of the addition of three new members: Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, and Virginia.

— Additional members from Seneca Lake, N.Y., Champagne, France and Napa Valley, California, were slated to meet with the Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, as well as with the staff for the Senate Agriculture Committee, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Rep. Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.).

— Conservative climate group Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions and the Conservative Energy Network flew in 50 Republican business leaders and state officials from 17 states on Wednesday to meet with over 100 congressional offices to push for “common sense” energy policies.

— BSA | The Software Alliance brought its board leaders to town yesterday. Meetings included Cantwell and McMorris Rodgers as well as her Democratic counterpart Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and House AI Working Group leaders Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) and Ted Lieu (D-Calif.).

— The trade group’s discussions “focused on issues we hope will be accomplishments this year including passing AI legislation governing high-risk uses, modernizing government IT by leveraging the NIST RMF, and renewing US leadership on digital trade,” said Splunk’s Scott Morgan, BSA’s board chair.

SPOTTED at a Cinco de Mayo celebration hosted by Forward Global and the U.S.-Mexico Foundation: Mexican Ambassador Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, USMF's Enrique Perret, Constellation Brands' Edgar Guillaumin, Virginia Deputy Secretary for commerce James Campos, Dr. Robert Shapiro, General Motors’ Omar Vargas, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Anthony Hinojosa, Nvidia’s John Rizzo and the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association’s Jason Ortega.

Jobs Report

— Global Business Alliance founder Nancy McLernon is stepping down at the end of the year as president and CEO after 35 years. Jonathan Samford, GBA’s current executive vice president, will take over as president and CEO.

— Megan Striegel has joined the National Pest Management Association as director of legislative and regulatory affairs. She was most recently government affairs and grassroots engagement manager at RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment).

— BWX Technologies has hired John Lucio as senior director of government relations. Lucio was previously a senior vice president at Ervin Graves Strategy Group and is a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee alum.

— Michael Varrone has joined Sidley’s food, drug and medical device practice as counsel. He was previously senior adviser to the chief counsel of the FDA.

— Dustin Brighton has joined Husch Blackwell Strategies to open an office for the firm in Arkansas, in which he’ll be managing principal. He was previously managing director at Brightstone Bridge.

— Dentons has hired Stephen Lawson to lead its public affairs efforts in Atlanta. He most recently served as president of Full Focus Communications.

— Laena Fallon has been promoted to chief of staff at the American Bankers Association. Fallon was previously a senior adviser to ABA President and CEO Rob Nichols.

— Signal Group has promoted Julian Graham to director, Vinny Sheu to director of creative content, Sharky Thomas to senior manager of digital campaigns, Meg Fosha to manager and Jenna Kent to executive associate.

— Casey Hernandez is now a partner at Seven Letter and Radeeyah Khan is a content specialist. Hernandez most recently was head of communications at Herbalife and is an Obama Treasury and DOT alum and Khan was previously with the Climate Reality Project.

— Georgina Burros will be communications director for Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.). She previously was chief communications officer for global issues at the British Embassy.

— Sam Spector is joining the government relations team at Lenovo U.S. as lead for cybersecurity policy. He most recently was director of government affairs and public policy with the BlackBerry Corporation and is a DoD and House Energy and Commerce Committee alum.

— Hebe Shaw is now executive director of the INGAA Foundation. She previously was director of meetings and special projects.

— Mark Bohannon and Donna Dodson have joined the Center for Cybersecurity Policy and Law as inaugural cybersecurity fellows. Bohannon recently founded Bomar Ventures Consulting and Dodson is a cybersecurity technologist and adviser and an alum of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

— Jon Cunliffe has joined Rock Creek Global Advisors as a senior policy adviser based in London. He was previously a deputy governor for the Bank of England.

— David Talbot has joined the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Prosperity as its first executive director. He was previously director of finance for the Milken Institute.

— Tim Childress has joined the Software & Information Industry Association as chief financial officer. He joins the trade group from The German Marshall Fund, where he was executive vice president and CFO.

New Joint Fundraisers

Rob Mercuri Victory Committee (Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, Mercuri for Congress, Always Out Front PAC, NRCC)

New PACs

AMERICA PRIMUM PAC (Super PAC)

AMERICAN FREEDOM PAC (Super PAC)

Gen-Z for Change PAC (Super PAC)

GrayPAC (Hybrid PAC)

Great Lakes Bay Republican PAC (Super PAC)

MAED 4 Education (PAC)

Save American Education Fund (Super PAC)

SAVE OUR COUNTRY (Super PAC)

Voice of The People USA (PAC)

Power Play will be at the 27th Annual Milken Global Conference in Los Angeles, from May 5-8. POLITICO’s highly influential podcast, hosted by Anne McElvoy, will bring conversations with power players in politics, finance, tech philanthropy and beyond to your ears, as they grapple with the world’s most pressing and complex challenges. Listen and follow Power Play here.

New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS

Blank Rome Government Relations: Ecombustible Energy LLC

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Planet Fitness Holdings, LLC

Holland & Knight LLP: Aetherflux, Inc.

Holland & Knight LLP: North County Transit District

Keller Partners & Company: Concordia University

Keller Partners & Company: Crawford Memorial Hospital

Ridge Policy Group: Pennsylvania Association Of Community Bankers

Sakura Conservation Strategies: Dick Molpus Foundation

Venable LLP: Powering America's Commercial Transportation

New Lobbying Terminations

Ats Communications, Inc.: Palindromes, Inc.