| | | | |  | | By Caitlin Oprysko | With Daniel Lippman FIRST IN PI: E-cigarette maker Juul is bringing on a veteran of Donald Trump’s first administration to lead the company’s federal lobbying operation as Trump prepares to be sworn in for his second term after pledging to “save Vaping.” — Mary-Sumpter Lapinski spent almost two years as a counselor for public health and science to former Trump HHS Secretary Alex Azar — during which policymakers embarked on a crackdown on e-cigarettes due to their surging popularity among teenagers. Lapinski was also a longtime health adviser to former Senate HELP Chair Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), and she most recently served as vice president global government affairs and public policy at Jazz Pharmaceuticals. — Though Trump signed into law a bill that raised the age for purchasing e-cigarettes from 18 to 21 and introduced some restrictions on vape flavors credited with the rise in youth vaping — which are currently before the Supreme Court — he backed away from a full ban on flavored e-cigarettes. — Juul’s lobbying expenditures have plummeted after weathering that existential threat, reaching a peak of $4.3 million in 2019, when the Trump administration was exploring its ban. In the first three quarters of 2024, the company spent just $750,000 on federal lobbying, disclosures show. — Last year, The Washington Post reported that Trump’s sudden campaign promise to “save Vaping again!” followed a meeting with the head of the industry’s main trade group, along with a flood of donations from the tobacco industry to Trump’s main super PAC. The vaping trade group, the Vapor Technology Association, has endorsed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who would oversee tobacco and e-cigarette regulation if confirmed as HHS secretary. TRUMP TAPS MORE LOBBYISTS: Trump announced a few more K Streeters today for economic posts in the administration. He named Robin Colwell, a White House alum from Trump’s first term who most recently was a principal at BGR Group, deputy assistant to the president for economic policy and deputy director of the National Economic Council. — Trump also named Drew Lyon, a principal and tax policy leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers, as special assistant to the president for economic policy focused on taxes. Lyon was most recently registered to lobby in 2023, disclosures show, and he worked for clients including the Business Roundtable, the Blackstone Group and Alliance for Competitive Taxation. TGIF and welcome to PI. Stay warm during this weekend’s festivities, and send lobbying tips: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on X: @caitlinoprysko. FARA FRIDAY: Jennifer Gellie, who leads the Justice Department’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and is the former head of the CES-housed FARA Unit, sat down for a conversation this week on the “Lawfare Daily” podcast with her predecessor Brandon Van Grack and Scott Anderson, where Gellie dished on DOJ’s long-awaited proposed FARA changes that came out over the holidays. — Of particular note in the episode were Gellie’s comments on the department’s plan to reconfigure what are known as the commercial exemptions to FARA, potentially massively expanding its scope. — Under current regulations, those carrying out activity on behalf of a foreign principal, such as a foreign-owned corporation or even state-owned enterprises, are not required to register as foreign agents as long as the work is in furtherance of bona fide trade or commerce or does not predominantly serve a foreign interest by “directly promot[ing]” the public or political interests of a foreign government or political party. — The department wants to remove the word “directly” from that exemption in what it says is a bid to reduce ambiguity. More importantly, the department is also proposing to shift the exemption’s focus toward answering the question of whether an agent’s activities predominantly serve a domestic interest or a foreign one. — “What we care about is the intent to benefit the foreign principal more so than an intent to benefit something domestically in the United States,” Gellie said of the changes, pushing back on Van Grack’s framing of the proposal as a narrowing of the exemptions. “I see it as a clarification,” she said. — “What the new regulations say is you're not going to get an exemption under the domestic interest exemption … if what you're doing is intended to benefit a foreign government or foreign political party, or if that foreign government or foreign political party is influencing what you are doing in the United States,” she added, arguing that if an entity is worrying about being newly exposed to the obligation to register under FARA because of the new rules, that obligation “is already there under the statute.” — Gellie also took aim at FARA’s exemption for those registered under the LDA, noting that option remains available if an entity ends up excluded from other FARA exemptions. “If I could get rid of that by regulation, I would,” she said. “You do not get the same transparency with the filings under the LDA that you get under FARA,” Gellie explained later while discussing her top FARA-related legislative priorities, the most urgent of which she said is granting the FARA unit civil enforcement penalties. — Gellie also vowed that the FARA Unit won’t be slowing down in 2025. “You need to really look at it through the lens of what 2024 looked like,” she said, pointing to the conviction of one sitting member of Congress on foreign agent charges and the indictment of another among other examples. “I don't see the upward trajectory with FARA enforcement changing anytime soon.” FIRST IN PI — DNC FINANCE CHAIR RACE DRAMA: Some DNC members are mad at finance Chair Chris Korge after he anointed his friend Chris Lowe to a newly created position as “national finance co-chair” of the DNC before he has even won reelection after Lowe decided not to run against him, Daniel reports. — But several DNC members, who were granted anonymity to speak candidly about internal party matters, argued that it was unseemly to promise such an executive-level position even before the finance chair vote in February and without consultation of voting members. “He just made it up. He’s arrogant if he thinks he can just create these positions,” said one member. — Another DNC member said it concerned them because it felt like with Lowe dropping out of the race, such a move took away a choice from members at a time of deep concern about the future of the party. (Tim Lim, who has been active in Democratic fundraising for the past several cycles, is also running to be finance chair.) — The members also were not happy with Korge saying at the recent DNC virtual forum that the Democratic Party should “stop assaulting our wealthy donors” and repeatedly said that the party should “thank” them. The first member said the comment was “clueless” and that it didn’t address the issue of the influence of rich donors on the party and whether they are skewing it in a direction away from core issues that some think it should be focusing on instead. — Korge said in an interview that Lowe has been a deputy finance chair with him for years and that the new title is “not an official officer position” and is not meant to be. “Chris Lowe and I both are extremely concerned about raising money from all levels of donors, from very small donors to large donors,” he said. — Asked about his “wealthy donors” comment, Korge, an attorney and businessman, also said that he would “defend our donors to the end of the world” and that the donors who give money to the party have never asked for anything in return and don’t expect anything. He said that “an assault on big donors is like shooting yourself in the foot.” — In a statement, Lowe, who works in renewable energy and infrastructure investment, called Korge “an outstanding fundraiser for the party” and said “the party is best served by having us work together for the next four years.” BONDI WORKED FOR PFIZER: Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi brought in a little over $1 million for her work for Ballard Partners over the past year, according to financial documents filed on Thursday, along with $520,000 for her role with the America First Policy Institute and nearly $3 million for her consulting work on the merger that formed the parent company of Trump's social media platform Truth Social. — Bondi’s disclosures also revealed that she earned more than $200,000 for legal work on behalf of Pfizer through the Ballard-affiliated law firm Panza, Maurer & Maynard, a client that had not previously been disclosed, unlike Bondi’s current and former lobbying clients. — According to an ethics agreement that was also posted on Thursday, Bondi said she would resign from Ballard Partners upon being confirmed as attorney general and pledged not to participate “personally and substantially in any particular matter involving specific parties” in which the firm is a party or represent a party for one year following her resignation, unless she receives an ethics waiver. Bondi also said she would not work on issues involving former clients for a year after last providing services to that client, unless she receives an ethics waiver. SPOTTED last night at Tosca for an inauguration party hosted by Fierce Government Relations, per a tipster: Heather Wingate and Eric Burgeson of Delta Air Lines, Brett Layson of Home Depot, Kalyn Stephens of Cisco, Joe Hagin of LG, Brie Sachse of Siemens, Brigitte Gwyn of Pepsi, Nick Rossi of Apple, John Murphy and Katherine Raab of the Association for Accessible Medicines, Bill Rys of The Hartford, Heidi Brock and Julie Landry of the American Forest and Paper Association, Sara Morse of UnitedHealth Group, Chris Cylke of the American Gaming Association, Matt Miller and Paul Jackson of the Business Roundtable, Hicks Winters of Dow, Hollyn Schuemann and Billy Godoy of General Motors, Matt Lathrop of Yum Brands, Clare Sanderson of TSMC, Sam Lancaster of Comcast, Lucia Lebens of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, Brian Peters, Matt Mulder and Kunal Parikh of Stripe; Andrew Brady of Union Pacific, Anne Policastro of UPS, Dan Shorts of the National Confectioners Association, Liz Clark of the Health & Fitness Association, Chirag Shah of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, Richard Crawford of Molson Coors, Casey Street of AECOM and Michael Dean of NCTA. — And last night at a reception celebrating Mita’s first anniversary and recent Michelin star, per a tipster: Rep. Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), Oscar Ramirez and Dana Thompson of Fulcrum Public Affairs and Mita, Adrian Saenz of Conexion and Mita, Luisana Perez and Erica Loewe of the White House, Gideon Bragin of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ office, Tricia Russell of Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s (D-Md.) office, Liam Forsythe of Rep. Nanette Barragán’s (D-Calif.) office, J. Ellis McGinnis of Rep. Maxine Waters’ (D-Calif.) office, Carlos Paz of Rep. Jimmy Gomez’s (D-Calif.) office, Nina Albert of the D.C. government, Becky Cornell of Rep. Pete Aguilar’s (D-Calif.) office, David Montes of Sen. Alex Padilla’s (D-Calif.) office, Esther Kahng of the House Financial Services Committee and Jade Floyd of Global Strategy Group. — And on Wednesday at Café Milano for a salon dinner ahead of the Chamber’s “State of American Business,” per a tipster: Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine), French Hill (R-Ark.), Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), Young Kim (R-Calif.), Suzanne Clark and Neil Bradley of the Chamber, Priscilla Almodovar of Fannie Mae, David Coleman of The College Board, George Goldman of CMA-CGM America, Mark Ordan of Pediatrix Medical Group, John Polson of Fisher Phillips LLC and Don Stone of Dewberry.
| | — Bryan Hannon is joining the Healthcare Distribution Alliance as director of state government affairs. Most recently, Bryan served as director of state advocacy and outreach at the American Academy of Physician Associates. — Jamie Nolan, who has led media relations for DOE’s Loan Programs Office, is returning full-time to her consultancy, Nolan Strategic Communications. Her first new client will be outgoing LPO Director Jigar Shah. — Alexis Taylor is joining the International Fresh Produce Association as chief global policy officer. She most recently was under secretary of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the Department of Agriculture. — Caitlin Chiquelin is now global director of ESG and sustainability at Owens & Minor. She was previously director of ESG at KORE Power. — Ian Harrison is joining the Clean Energy Buyers Association as senior vice president of government affairs. Harrison was previously president and founder of Bipartisan Climate Action. — GlobalWIN has added Nana Nyanin of Rocket Companies, Melissa Wade of Aurora and Stacy Rich of Cornerstone Government Affairs to its board of directors for a three year term. — The Progressive Policy Institute has added Jolie LiBert as political director and Kriti Korula as a congressional fellow, to be placed in the office of the New Democrat Coalition. LiBert most recently was trips director for the Midwest on the Harris campaign, and is Derek Kilmer alum. — Rhonda Schmidtlein will join WilmerHale as a partner in its international trade, investment and market access practice group. She currently is a commissioner on the U.S. International Trade Commission.
| | DEFEND OUR MAJORITY (Reps. Steve Scalise, Nick Begich, David Schweikert, Juan Ciscomani, Gabe Evans, Ryan Mackenzie, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Zach Nunn, Scott Perry, Rob Bresnahan, Tom Barrett, John James, Ryan Zinke, Don Bacon, Tom Kean Jr., Ken Calvert, Jeff Hurd, Mike Lawler, David Valadao, Jen Kiggans, Derrick Van Orden, The Eye of the Tiger Political Action Committee, Congressional Leadership Fund, NRCC , ME-02 Republican Nominee Fund 2026, MI-08 Republican Nominee Fund 2026, TX-34 Republican Nominee Fund 2026, OH-09 Republican Nominee Fund 2026, CA-13 Republican Nominee Fund 2026, NY-03 Republican Nominee Fund 2026, WA-03 Republican Nominee Fund 2026, NC-01 Republican Nominee Fund 2026, NM-02 Republican Nominee Fund 2026, CA-09 Republican Nominee Fund 2026, NJ-09 Republican Nominee Fund 2026, NV-03 Republican Nominee Fund 2026, TX-28 Republican Nominee Fund 2026, Republican National Committee) Destroy The Democrat Party (Terry for Congress, Broden for House)
| | DLP PAC (Hybrid PAC) Kerecis LLC Tissue Regeneration PAC (PAC) McDermott Election Fund (PAC) Republican Italian American Committee (Hybrid PAC) Win Blue USA (Hybrid PAC)
| | New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS | | Alpine Group Partners, LLC.: Innovative Signal Analysis Inc. Alpine Group Partners, LLC.: Smith Bagley, Inc. Ballard Partners: Bayer U.S. LLC Ballard Partners: Edgeconnex, Inc. Ballard Partners: Nahigian Strategies On Behalf Of Clarios Bgr Government Affairs: Cnx Resources Corporation Bgr Government Affairs: Flock Safety Bgr Government Affairs: The Transport Project Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Dailypay, Inc C2 Strategies (Formerly O'Brien, Gentry & Scott, LLC ): Delta Black Aerospace Cassidy & Associates, Inc.: Slingshot Aerospace Center Road Solutions: Active Minds Cogent Strategies LLC: Eshares, Inc. D/B/A Carta, Inc. Connick And Associates: Plaquemines Parish Connick And Associates: River Birch Renewable Energy Connick And Associates: St. Bernard Parish Continental Strategy, LLC: Iem International Inc. Corcoran & Associates, Inc. Dba Corcoran Partners: Florida Chiropractic Coalition Corcoran & Associates, Inc. Dba Corcoran Partners: Rtr Financial Services, Inc. Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: National Association Of Regional Councils Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: Preventative Automotive Maintenance Association (Pama) Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: Public Partnerships, LLC Data Center Coalition: Data Center Coalition Farragut Partners LLP: Honeywell International Farragut Partners LLP: Pharmacosmos Therapeutics Inc. Gephardt Group Government Affairs: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld (On Behalf Of Nippon Steel Corporation) Harold Connolly: Hanwha Q Cells America Inc. Jeffrey J. Kimbell & Associates, Inc.: Kendal Nutricare Ltd K2 Strategies, LLC: Tai Ginsberg & Associates, LLC On Behalf Of Contra Costa Transportation Authorit Keller Partners & Company: Carolina University Lucas | Compton: Health Care Managment Facility, LLC Lucas | Compton: Mccarter & English Mercury Public Affairs, LLC: Accordia Partners, LLC Public Strategies Washington, Inc.: Health And Fitness Association Robertson, Monagle, And Eastaugh: Inside Passage Electric Cooperative Sidley Austin LLP: Taylor Fresh Foods, Inc Strategic Marketing Innovations: Halocarbon, LLC The Madison Group: Firstkey Homes, LLC The Mckeon Group, Inc.: American Studies Center Troutman Strategies (Fka Troutman Pepper Strategies, LLC): America'S Mutual Banks Troutman Strategies (Fka Troutman Pepper Strategies, LLC): Globe Life, Inc. Troutman Strategies (Fka Troutman Pepper Strategies, LLC): Landry'S Troutman Strategies (Fka Troutman Pepper Strategies, LLC): The Baldwin Group Troutman Strategies (Fka Troutman Pepper Strategies, LLC): The Friedkin Group, Inc. Twenty-First Century Group, Inc.: Albanians For America Vectis Dc: Mount Saint Mary'S University Whitmer & Worrall, LLC: Woodings Industrial Corporation | | New Lobbying Terminations | | Alva Elliott Partners, LLC: Aquia Group, LLC On Behalf Of High Earth Orbit Robotics Pty Ltd Alva Elliott Partners, LLC: Tower 19 On Behalf Of Kalshi, Inc. Ann Aquillo Consulting LLC: Transportation Research Center Inc. Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP: Dailypay Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP: Evoendo, Inc. Atlantic Strategies Group: New Front Strategies Group, LLC, Obo Aeroclave LLC. Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz: Blastone Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz: Independence Blue Cross Barnes & Thornburg, LLP: Zotec Partners Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Chaldean Community Council Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: National Association Of Broadcasters Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Nextnrg Holding Corp. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Compass Connections Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Compass United Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Envoy Medical Corporation Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Uber Technologies Inc. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Ulgen Hukuk & Danismanlik Obo Icphrd Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: University Of The Pacific Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney Pc: Port Authority Of Allegheny County D/B/A Pittsburgh Regional Transit Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP: Birthing Beautiful Communities Dga Group Government Relations LLC (Formerly Dentons Global Advisors Government Relations LLC): Booking Holdings Inc. (Formerly Known As Booking.Com B.V.) Dga Group Government Relations LLC (Formerly Dentons Global Advisors Government Relations LLC): Qbtech Dutko Worldwide, LLC: Mobile Surgery International, Inc. Dutko Worldwide, LLC: Moon Lake Water USers Association Dutko Worldwide, LLC: Stag Consulting Dutko Worldwide, LLC: Summit Water Distribution Company Dutko Worldwide, LLC: Vidangel, Inc. Fbb Federal Relations: Rock And Rail, LLC Foley & Lardner LLP: Kc2026 Foley & Lardner LLP: Philadelphia Soccer 2026 Foley & Lardner LLP: San Diego County Water Authority Foley & Lardner LLP: Seattle Fwc26 Organizing Group Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Centene Corporation Greenberg Traurig, LLP: C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc. Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Magellan Health Greenberg Traurig, LLP: National Independent Talent Organization (Nito) Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Progressive Leasing Greenberg Traurig, LLP: The Aaron'S Company, Inc. Health Policy Source, Inc.: Omada Health, Inc. Hilltop Advocacy: Amazon Hilltop Advocacy: Google Client Services LLC (Fka Google) Hilltop Advocacy: Microsoft Innovative Policy, Pllc: Giving Home Health Care Locke Lord LLP: America'S Mutual Banks Locke Lord LLP: Globe Life, Inc. Locke Lord LLP: Landry'S Locke Lord LLP: The Friedkin Group, Inc. Mehlman Consulting, Inc.: Everytown For Gun Safety Action Fund Mehlman Consulting, Inc.: Giving Home Health Care Mehlman Consulting, Inc.: Netgear, Inc. Mehlman Consulting, Inc.: Unite USa Inc. (Dba Unite US) Michael R. Pawlowski: Capitol Counsel, LLC On Behalf Of Society To Improve Diagnosis In Medicine Modern Fortis LLC: American Innovators Coalition Modern Fortis LLC: Truleo Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough: Ameresco Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough: Bdv Solutions, LLC Perry, White, Ross & Jacobson, LLC: Washington College Plurus Strategies, LLC: Me2C Environmental Prest Public Strategies, LLC: Ko Consulting, LLC On Behalf Of The City Of Cortland Public Strategies Washington, Inc.: Biotechnology Industry Organization Public Strategies Washington, Inc.: Ducks Unlimited, Inc Public Strategies Washington, Inc.: Hunt Companies Robertson, Monagle, And Eastaugh: Key Largo Fisheries Robertson, Monagle, And Eastaugh: Southern Offshore Fishing Association Serlin Haley LLP: American Institute For Packaging And Environment (Ameripen) Somfy: Somfy Sonoran Policy Group, LLC D/B/A Stryk Global Diplomacy, Formerly Known As Sonoran Policy Group, LLC: Itrezzo, Inc. Tarplin, Downs & Young, LLC: Ais Healthcare Tarplin, Downs & Young, LLC: Evergreen Nephrology The Conafay Group, LLC: The Coalition For Access To Prenatal Screening The Conafay Group, LLC: The Coalition For The Advancement Of Research And Innovation In Trauma (Carit) The Ingram Group LLC: National Beer Wholesalers Association The Mckeon Group, Inc.: Flibe Energy The Mckeon Group, Inc.: Reptech Fitness Fka Rep Tech The Mckeon Group, Inc.: Sci Acquisitions Co. Inc. The Smith-Free Group, LLC: Broadcast Music Inc The Smith-Free Group, LLC: Charm Industrial The Wessel Group Incorporated: Worldwide Superabrasives LLC Thorn Run Partners: National Star Route Mail Contractors Association Venable LLP: Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
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