Alberta bolsters lobbying roster ahead of election

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Oct 18, 2024 View in browser   By Caitlin Oprysko With Daniel Lippman FARA FRIDAY: Alberta’s government has re-upped its representation in Washington ahead of next month’s election, inking a $1.2 million contract with former Obama administration official Beth Burke and Capitol Counsel, according to a copy filed with the Justice Department. — Burke currently serves as CEO of the Canadian American Business Council and was a longtime staffer for Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) following a stint at the Ex-Im Bank during the Obama administration. Though she’ll be the lead strategist on the account, DOJ filings show, Burke is working as a subcontractor to Capitol Counsel, which has represented the province since 2022. Jonathan Kott, a former aide to Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), will be Capitol Counsel’s lead on the account. — According to the firms’ pitch to Alberta officials, the lobbyists will work with the oil-rich province to strengthen its ties to key U.S. policymakers, including “key Senators and Governors in the top energy producing states to prepare and focus conversations and engagement” related to the UN’s COP climate summit. The pitch touts Kott as a “key confidant” for his former bosses, while noting that Capitol Counsel also employs former Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) — though he is not registered under FARA and the pitch does not specify that he will work on the account.. — The firms will — of course — also be tracking the results of the elections, noting that “we will need to engage with what is expected to be a very large freshman class in the House and Senate” as well as with staff from the next administration. — “Meeting new Members early to educate them on your issues and build allies will be crucial to future engagement,” the pitch says, adding that the firms will assist Alberta officials with making congratulatory calls to election winners. Other proposals for making those connections include events like a welcome reception for new members, the annual congressional hockey game or hosting watch parties for sporting events between the U.S. and Canada, per DOJ filings. — The firms will also be monitoring relevant legislative issues like potential permitting reform and international tax changes, in addition to conversations leading up to 2026’s deadline for reviewing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade pact. — Alberta isn’t the only foreign government turning to K Street for help prepping for the election. Ontario’s government hired Capitol Counsel in August to craft a pre- and post-election engagement strategy for the province, while other governments like South Korea and Taiwan have retained other firms to better position them for the elections. TGIF and welcome to PI. Are you helping a foreign government prepare for November and beyond? Let me know: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on X: @caitlinoprysko. WHO’S BEHIND THE PUSH FOR BAIL FUND CRACKDOWN: “The shadowy for-profit bail industry is behind a first-of-its-kind federal effort to criminalize charitable efforts designed to help people who can’t afford to post bail,” Jacobin’s Katya Schwenk reports. — “The legislation, which civil rights groups warn is part of an ongoing wave of attacks on bail reforms, would be a win for the for-profit bail industry: bounty hunters and the Wall Street insurers that back them all profit from the United States’ unique bail bonds system, in which poor people facing criminal charges pay bail agents to post their bail and get out of jail as they await trial.” — “The new bill, which just passed the House of Representatives, uses federal insurance law to target bail funds, charitable groups that collect donations to help bail people out of jail who can’t otherwise afford it.” — “In the name of being tough on crime and fraud, the bill would subject these groups to potentially severe criminal penalties if they fail to comply with the regulations — mirroring state-level attempts to restrict bail funds, like a Georgia law this year that, in practice, outlawed the funds entirely.” READY TO GO: The American Exploration and Production Council, “has drafted detailed plans for dismantling landmark Biden administration climate rules after the presidential election” in the event of a victory by former President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly looked to the fossil fuel industry for campaign cash, The Washington Post’s Evan Halper and Josh Dawsey report. — “The lobbying blueprint takes particular aim at a new tax on emissions of methane, a gas that the International Energy Agency (IEA) says is responsible for nearly a third of human-caused global warming.” — “The documents show the relative amounts of natural gas, including methane, burned by nine of 19 AXPC member companies that responded to an internal survey are increasing — in many cases sharply,” though AXPC told the Post after publication that 11 other member companies had eliminated methane emissions. — “The policy plans … also call for a repeal of more than a half-dozen executive orders that lie at the center of the Biden administration’s efforts to combat climate change. Taken together, the group’s goals amount to a monumental rollback of some of the most aggressive federal tools for cutting emissions.” THE RISE OF THE OTHER KIND OF INFLUENCER: “The Kremlin could not have asked for better publicity at a better time when Ben Swann, a self-described independent journalist who promotes conspiracy theories, released a 12-part video series he promised would reveal dark truths about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” The Associated Press’ Alan Suderman and Garance Burke write.   — The series launched this spring, just “as Congress was debating increasing military assistance to Ukraine, and it quickly caught the attention of conservative social media influencers who hyped the project to their millions of followers.” — But “unlike other conservative media personalities who last month expressed shock upon learning they may have been secretly financed by the Kremlin, Swann has no such qualms. He’s worked for Russia’s state-owned media empire for years, with one of his companies earning millions of dollars for producing Kremlin-friendly shows.” — “The creation of ‘Zelenskyy Unmasked’ and its viral spread reveal how widely Russia-backed talking points are traveling on social media — a trend that concerns current and former U.S. intelligence officials and disinformation experts.” SPOTTED at Stoney’s for a retirement party honoring CTIA senior vice president and general counsel Tom Power, per a tipster: Meredith Attwell Baker and Brad Gillen of CTIA, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez and the FCC’s Justin Faulb, Jason Oxman of the Information Technology Industry Council, Bryan Tramont of Wilkinson Barker Knauer, Matt Pearl of the National Security Council, Joel Kelsey of Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s (D-Conn.) office and Gigi Sohn.   REGISTER NOW: WOMEN RULE: A new generation of women leaders is shaping the future. Join POLITICO for exclusive conversations with rising women leaders who will influence agendas in Washington and beyond in 2025. Stay for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. REGISTER HERE to attend in-person or virtually.     Jobs report — Alicia Phillips Mandaville is now COO of Anera. She most recently was vice president for policy and evaluation at the Millennium Challenge Corporation. — Washington Office is adding Halimah Najieb-Locke, Casey Plew and Charlie Burgoyne as new team members and advisers. Najieb-Locke previously was deputy assistant secretary of Defense for industrial base resilience policy. Plew previously was director of NavalX in the U.S. Navy. Burgoyne is founder and CEO of Valkyrie. — Tarsha Hearns is now vice president of entrepreneurship at Small Business Majority. She previously was senior director of the DEC Network. New Joint Fundraisers None. New PACs None. New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS Ballard Partners: Nitron Group LLC Ballentine Strategies: Electronic Payments Coalition Barnes & Thornburg, LLP: Minicap Coalition Bgr Government Affairs: Cuisine Solutions, Inc. Bgr Government Affairs: Ulse Inc. D/B/A Ul Standards & Engagement Bluebird Strategies: Celltrion USa, Inc. Bluebird Strategies: Digital Therapeutics Alliance Bracewell LLP: Avery Dennison Corporation Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Conocophillips Cassidy & Associates, Inc.: Broadcom Inc. Cassidy & Associates, Inc.: Business Roundtable (The) Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Stripe, Inc. Covington & Burling LLP: Stardust Group Da Vinci Group: Fundamental Data, LLC Da Vinci Group: Walk The Talk America Holland & Knight LLP: Illinois Tool Works, Inc. Holland & Knight LLP: Mastercard, Inc. J.A. Green And Company (Formerly LLC): Betterup J.A. Green And Company (Formerly LLC): The Summit Group Jgb & Associates, LLC: Cornerstone Government Affairs Obo Stripe, Inc. Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC: Health Effects Institute Lilette Advisors: Dxc Technology Company Live Oak Strategies: Cart.Com O'Brien, Gentry & Scott, LLC: Worlds Enterprises Inc O'Keeffe Shahmoradi Strategies, LLC: Association Of Equipment Manufacturers Ostroff Associates, Inc.: New York Credit Union Association, Inc. Passage Consulting Group LLC: Babel Street, Inc. Porter Group, LLC: American Bakers Association South Bow USa Services, Inc.: South Bow USa Services, Inc. Strategic Marketing Innovations: Smallsat Alliance Strategic Marketing Innovations: Vpi Technology Summit Strategies Government Affairs LLC: Pittsburgh Regional Transit The Conafay Group, LLC: Elusys Therapeutics, Inc The Consilio Group: Pacmar Technologies The Nimitz Group LLC: Access Fund The Spectrum Group: Viega LLC Thorn Run Partners: Alora Pharmaceuticals, LLC Williams And Jensen, Pllc: Honolulu Board Of Water Supply New Lobbying Terminations Abiomed, Inc: Abiomed, Inc Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: National Fire Protection Association Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: R.R.P. Consulting Engineers L.L.C. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: True Anomaly Inc. Alexandria Ventures, LLC: Dla Piper LLP (US) (For Adp, LLC) Arentfox Schiff LLP: Harmar Mobility, LLC Berquam Ventures, LLC: Team Hallahan LLC (On Behalf Of Amazon Web Services) Bgr Government Affairs: Carlsmed, Inc. Bgr Government Affairs: Lilium Capital Bluebird Strategies: Myriad Genetics, Inc. Boom Technology: Boom Technology Bracewell LLP: Arctic Cat Inc. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Cogitativo, Inc. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Exxon Mobil Corp Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Intrepid Potash Inc. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Kabafusion Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Motor Vehicle Protection Products Association Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: National Ocean Industries Association Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Nelnet, Inc Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Outokumpu Stainless USa, LLC Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Pyramid Management Group, LLC Capitol Counsel LLC: State Armor Action Capitol Hill Policy Group LLC: National Seafood Marketing Coalition Carpi & Clay, Inc: County Of Kern Cassidy & Associates, Inc.: Nzero Cassidy & Associates, Inc.: Vmware LLC Catalyst Global Strategies, LLC: The Khana Group Cavarocchi Ruscio Dennis Associates, L.L.C.: American Association For Dental Oral & Craniofacial Research Cavarocchi Ruscio Dennis Associates, L.L.C.: National Cmv Foundation Cfm Strategic Communications (Conkling Fiskum & Mccormick): Columbia River Mental Health Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Association Of Health Information Outsourcing Services Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Lone Star College Covington & Burling LLP: Alsu Kurmasheva Covington & Burling LLP: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Da Vinci Group: Heritage Health Solutions Da Vinci Group: Kai Medical Laboratory Da Vinci Group: Sorrento Therapeutics Inc. Dentons Global Advisors Government Relations LLC: Kcp Holdings Limited Dentons US LLP: Republic Metropolitan (Remet) Desimone Consulting, LLC: Adams County, Wa Desimone Consulting, LLC: City Of Chelan, Wa Desimone Consulting, LLC: City Of College Place, Wa Desimone Consulting, LLC: City Of Othello, Wa Desimone Consulting, LLC: City Of Yakima, Wa Desimone Consulting, LLC: Community Health Center Of Spokane (Chas) Desimone Consulting, LLC: Community-Minded Enterprises Desimone Consulting, LLC: East Adams Rural Healthcare Desimone Consulting, LLC: First 5 Fundamentals Desimone Consulting, LLC: Port Of Walla Walla Desimone Consulting, LLC: Spokane County, Wa Diroma Eck & Co. LLP: Blockchain Intelligence Group Elevate Government Affairs, LLC: Garrett Advancing Motion Ervin Graves Strategy Group, LLC: American Hotel & Lodging Association Ervin Graves Strategy Group, LLC: Crystal Clearwater Resources LLC Ervin Graves Strategy Group, LLC: Tpb Services LLC Eventbrite, Inc.: Eventbrite, Inc. Ferox Strategies: Global Grab Technologies Ferox Strategies: The Coalition To End Double Taxation Of Consumer Claims Fgs Global (US) LLC (Fka Fgh Holdings LLC): Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc. Fgs Global (US) LLC (Fka Fgh Holdings LLC): Environmental Defense Action Fund Fgs Global (US) LLC (Fka Fgh Holdings LLC): Skyhawk Therapeutics, Inc. Forbes-Tate: H2 Global Technologies Forbes-Tate: Homeward Health Guide Consulting Services, Inc.: American Network Of Community Options And Resources (Ancor) Hecht Latham Spencer & Associates, Inc., Formerly Known As Hecht Spencer & Assoc: Emergent Biosolutions Hogan Lovells US LLP: Nuclear Innovation Alliance Hsa Strategies: Centene Corporation Hsa Strategies: Heico Parts Group Inc Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP: Firstenergy Corp Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP: Ncta - The Internet & Television Association Icebreaker Strategies, LLC: Havocai Inc. Ipolicy Solutions: Invitae Inc. Jim Massie & Partners, LLC: Croplife America Jim Massie & Partners, LLC: Mirion Technologies Kadesh & Associates, LLC: Shasta County Residents For Positive Community Development King & Spalding LLP: Webuild - US Holdings Inc. K&L Gates, LLP: Mayflower Partners International LLC K&L Gates, LLP: Velocys Inc Lavender Consultants: Coalition For Consumer Choice, Inc. Leblanc Government Relations, LLC: Desimone Consulting Group On Behalf Of Spokane County, Wa Live Oak Strategies: Essentium, Inc. Mcallister & Quinn, LLC: Elwyn Mcallister & Quinn, LLC: Recovery Resource Council Mcallister & Quinn, LLC: St. Mary'S County Health Department Mcallister & Quinn, LLC: The Hap Foundation Miller & Chevalier Chartered: Hyzon Motors, Inc. New Front Strategies Group, LLC: Rini Technologies Inc. Newmont Corporation (F/K/A Newmont Goldcorp Corporation): Newmont Corporation (F/K/A Newmont Goldcorp Corporation) Norm Dicks And Associates LLC: The Boeing Company O'Keeffe Shahmoradi Strategies, LLC: Iontra Origin Advocacy LLC: Stonington Global On Behalf Of Maxsip Tel LLC Oxford Strategies LLC-Md: Americans For Ivf Reform Oxford Strategies LLC-Md: Stonington Global On Behalf Of Maxsip Telecom Passage Consulting Group LLC: Aevum Skylus Company LLC Squire Patton Boggs: Town Of Breckenridge And Summit County Strategic Marketing Innovations: Oteemo, Inc. Summit Strategies Government Affairs LLC: Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney Pc On Behalf Of Pittsburgh Regional Transit Summit Strategies Government Affairs LLC: Renewable Northwest Tarplin, Downs & Young, LLC: Hims & Hers Health, Inc. The Consilio Group: Cybercore International The Franken Group, LLC: Inda, Association Of The Nonwoven Fabrics Industry The Madison Group: Stratolaunch The Nickles Group, LLC: Canoo Inc. The Picard Group, LLC: Intensive Specialty Hospital, LLC The Raben Group: Pace Center For Girls The Smith-Free Group, LLC: Ingram Barge Company The Vogel Group: Gv Spring Hill The Vogel Group: Kathairos Solutions The Vogel Group: Navancio LLC The Vogel Group: Neuronetics Inc. The Vogel Group: New England Fishermens Stewardship Association The Vogel Group: Terpene Belt Farms Thompson Coburn LLP: The Financial Accountability And Corporate Transparency (Fact) Coalition Thorn Run Partners: Corium Thorn Run Partners: Ifp Action Thorn Run Partners: Nxp USa, Inc. Thorn Run Partners: Oshkosh Corporation Troutman Pepper Strategies, LLC: W. C. Bradley Co. Van Scoyoc Associates: Action Now Initiative, LLC Van Scoyoc Associates: Brainfuse Van Scoyoc Associates: California School Boards Association Van Scoyoc Associates: National Education Association Van Scoyoc Associates: Pearson Education, Inc./Ncs Pearson, Inc. Waxman Strategies: Health Effects Institute Whitmer & Worrall, LLC: University Of Central Florida Whitmer & Worrall, LLC: X-Mat Winning Strategies Washington: Balloon Council   Follow us

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