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Presented by Natural Allies for Clean Energy: Delivered daily, Influence gives you a comprehensive rundown and analysis of all lobby hires and news on K Street. | | | | | |  | | By Caitlin Oprysko | | | With Daniel Lippman LOBBYISTS NOT FRETTING ABOUT DEM TAX PROPOSALS FOR NOW: Business lobbyists have described House Democrats’ ambitious new tax plan as an “existential threat,” but for all the dire warnings, K Street isn’t freaking out — yet. In interviews this week, lobbyists representing a range of business interests said they aren’t too worried about the party’s opening salvo on tax increases, confident the bill — and the threats their clients insist it poses — will be pared back in order to thread its way through a narrowly divided House and Senate. — “This is the beginning of the process,” said Arshi Siddiqui, a partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, and a former aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “We are talking about landmark legislation and a legislative centerpiece for the Biden administration,” she added. “By definition, signature pieces of legislation require a healthy give-and-take throughout the process.” — One former Democratic Senate staffer who’s now a lobbyist was more blunt. “It’s not passing at all like this in the Senate,” they said of House Ways and Means Chair Richard Neal’s tax plans, calling it “laughable” that House Democrats are “even thinking about this.” — With House committees finally finished marking up their portions of the package, lobbyists now must scramble to figure out where they can begin chipping away at provisions their corporate clients despise or how to preserve those their clients have fought to have inserted. It’s a process that’s “been like drinking out of a firehose,” Siddiqui said. She added that this bill is unique because of how drastically it’s likely to change from the time each piece is approved by committees to the time it actually hits the floor. — Cutting at least a trillion dollars from the bill will be a painful experience for both clients and lawmakers, said one veteran K Street hand who has worked on every major tax bill for the past four decades. And Democrats have already come under fire from trade associations from PhRMA to API, as well as outside groups that have launched six- and seven-figure ad campaigns. Meanwhile, Neal’s plan is under fire from the left for going too easy on the uber rich, and even the Biden administration is lobbying for some changes. — “As you get later and later in these negotiations, it'll be harder to impact the process,” Siddiqui said. “So time is of the essence. Obviously, those who laid the groundwork for their strategies earlier in the process are better situated. But, ultimately, it is one of those things where it isn't over till it's over, and you cannot take anything for granted.” There’s still a “narrow window” for securing revisions, said David Skillman, a former Ways and Means staffer now at the law and lobbying firm Arnold & Porter. “People are working and working fast on closing these issues out.” Read more from your host here. Good afternoon and welcome to PI. We’re 100 days out from Christmas folks. And, uh, from the sound of it , it’s never too early to get a jump on your holiday shopping. Send me your finest K Street tips, gossip, and musings — I promise to never make you overpay for express shipping: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko. | | A message from Natural Allies for Clean Energy: Natural gas is accelerating America's transition to a clean energy future. The reliability of natural gas enables the rapid expansion of low-carbon renewable generation, and by partnering the two together, we can achieve rapid emissions reductions today - without sacrificing reliability and affordability. Academics and researchers agree: continuing to invest in natural gas infrastructure will help us reach our climate goals faster. Natural gas -- accelerating our transition to a clean energy future. Learn more at www.naturalalliesforcleanenergy.org | | | AFGHAN RESISTANCE LEADER LOBBIES UP: “A leading figure in the Afghan resistance has retained a Washington lobbyist to seek military and financial support in the United States for a fight against the Taliban,” The New York Times’ Ken Vogel reports. “Ahmad Massoud, the leader of one of the most prominent groups of fighters seeking to oust the Taliban from power, signed the contract this week with Robert Stryk, who built a lobbying practice during the Trump administration working with clients that others on K Street were wary of representing.” — “The contract, which was filed with the Justice Department on Wednesday evening and indicates that the work will be pro bono, comes as an array of Afghan constituencies are seeking lobbying help as they jockey for recognition in Washington and the international community. … Three lobbyists said they heard the Taliban are seeking representation on K Street as they seek international funding and legitimacy.” According to Ali Nazary , a spokesperson for Massoud, the lobbying campaign is an attempt to head off “any move by the United States and other governments to grant legitimacy to the Taliban — or anyone other than Mr. Massoud — as the rightful leader of Afghanistan.” — Nazary told the Times that Massoud is “‘asking the United States to provide material support for our efforts, which would include shipment of offensive weapons,’ and also not to give recognition to the Taliban,” and that they had chosen Stryk “because he was not part of ‘the establishment in D.C.,’ which Mr. Nazary accused of appeasing the Taliban. He added that Mr. Stryk ‘truly believes in us and the Afghan people no matter how it affects his reputation.’” (But then again, who needs K Street when you’ve got Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) — “It's time for Congress to push the Biden Administration to unleash the individual geniuses of the brave men and women of the Central Intelligence Agency,” Stryk told PI in a text this afternoon. “The Taliban might have the geography but they lack the legitimacy inside of Afghanistan,” he added, arguing that in contrast Massoud and his National Resistance Front “have the hearts and minds of the Afghani people.” He previewed Massoud’s ask of Washington: Opposition leaders “don't need double speak from Special Representatives and Washington Bureaucrats, they need guns, bullets, RPG's and so much more. It's time to start channeling Charlie Wilson.” | | | |   | | | BOEING TAPS NEW TOP LOBBYIST: Aerospace giant Boeing has named Ziad Ojakli as its chief lobbyist beginning next month. Ojakli was previously Ford’s top lobbyist before he was hired away in 2018 to open and build out Japanese conglomerate SoftBank’s first office in Washington. He left SoftBank last year. Ojakli, a George W. Bush alum, will also oversee Boeing’s global philanthropy operations. “I am really looking forward to serving another iconic American company,” Ojakli said in an email to associates shared with PI. — He’ll take over for Boeing as executive vice president of government operations after the company’s previous chief lobbyist, Tim Keating, mysteriously left the company earlier this summer. A month later, defense contractor Raytheon Technologies hired away another Boeing executive, Jeff Shockey, to be that company’s top lobbyist. HOUSE OVERSIGHT ASKS OIL CEOS, CHAMBER TO TESTIFY ON CLIMATE LOBBYING: “The House Oversight and Reform Committee is stepping up its investigation of the oil and gas industry, aiming to bring the heads of major companies and lobby organizations to testify before Congress on whether they played a role in fomenting disinformation campaigns to slow efforts to tackle climate change,” per POLITICO’s Zack Colman. — “The letters sent to the CEOs of BP, Shell, Chevron, ExxonMobil, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Petroleum Institute requested that they appear at an Oct. 28 hearing on whether they had spread disinformation or financed dark money groups that have sowed doubt about the role between human activity, rising greenhouse gas emissions and a warmer planet. In an interview, California Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna , who leads the committee’s environment subcommittee, said the panel could issue subpoenas to the executives if they decline the invitation,” comparing the hearing “to the 1994 hearing where Congress grilled tobacco executives under oath.” | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TODAY: Power is shifting in Washington and in communities across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. The Recast is a twice-weekly newsletter that explores the changing power dynamics in Washington and breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics and policy in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear critical new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | — “The letters requested the companies and lobby organizations hand over by Sept. 30 all internal documents and communications since Nov. 30, 2015 covering climate science and policy, clean energy and the role the company or organization played in ‘causing, mitigating, or responding to climate change.’” CORNERSTONE ADDS 4: Cornerstone Government Affairs is expanding its reach in Georgia and Texas, as well as its ties to House GOP leadership. The lobbying and public affairs firm has hired Ross Giesinger, a senior adviser to Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan; Chris Carpenter, a Georgia Democratic campaign veteran and a partner at Garrett McNatt Hennessey & Carpenter 360; as well as Ben Sheidler, previously vice president of external communications at Equifax. Sheidler will be based out of Cornerstone’s Atlanta office. T.J. Tatum, previously a principal at Sard Verbinnen & Co. and a former deputy communications director for House GOP Whip Steve Scalise, will join Cornerstone’s Washington office. ANNALS OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE: “Republicans are making a small change to their online fundraising program that could have a big impact on the party’s finances heading into the 2022 midterm election,” POLITICO’s Alex Isenstadt reports. “WinRed, the GOP’s principal small-dollar donation processor, is lowering the fees it charges candidates and committees for each contribution they receive through the platform.” — “The shift — which follows months of behind-the-scenes deliberations involving the party’s most senior officials — could result in millions of dollars more being funneled into campaign coffers next year. Under the new plan, which WinRed President Gerrit Lansing outlined in a memo sent to senior Republicans this week, the platform will charge a flat 3.94 percent fee per donation. Until this point, the for-profit outfit had been charging 3.8 percent per contribution, plus another 30 cents. The change is set to go into effect Jan. 1.” INSIDE DAN CRENSHAW’S NOVEL FUNDRAISING GAMBIT: Our Hailey Fuchs attended Rep. Dan Crenshaw’s youth summit in Houston over the weekend, “a two-day affair that saw more than 2,000 young people gather to hear from conservative media luminaries like Ben Shapiro, Benny Johnson and Megyn Kelly . And while the weekend gave the whiff of a bar mitzvah for the MAGA faithful — with purple, blue, and green lasers shot over the crowd and techno and pop music blaring from the speakers — political veterans also called it an innovative approach to campaigning from Crenshaw and his congressional campaign committee, which paid for the event.” | | | | Be a Policy Pro. POLITICO Pro has a free policy resource center filled with our best practices on building relationships with state and federal representatives, demonstrating ROI, and influencing policy through digital storytelling. Read our free guides today . | | | | | | | |
— James Gee has joined Winning Strategies Washington as of counsel. He was most recently chief of staff to Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.).
— Meredith McGehee, executive director of the good government group IssueOne, is leaving the group at the end of the month. — Public affairs firm ROKK Solutions has hired Genevieve Wilkins as senior vice president of creative. She most recently served as managing director of creative at DCI Group for the past 8 years. — Bully Pulpit Interactive has hired Yolanda Murphy as a managing director in its D.C. office. She was most recently vice president of communications for Northrop Grumman. — Anne-Marie Kelley has joined Mercury Strategies as a partner focusing on financial services, capital markets, ESG, tax, fintech and digital assets issues. She was previously a political appointee at the SEC for 14 years. — Molly Morrissey is joining Booz Allen Hamilton as a consultant. She currently is press secretary for Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.). — Crystal Patterson has joined FSB Public Affairs’ D.C. office as managing director and senior vice president. She was previously head of global civic partnerships at Facebook. — Karen Hanley will be executive vice president at The Permitting Institute. She previously was acting executive director of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council. — Former Irish Ambassador Declan Kelleher has joined APCO Worldwide as a senior adviser. — The Wireless Infrastructure Association announced a slate of promotions: Matt Mandel has been promoted from vice president of government and public affairs to senior vice president of government and public affairs; Marta Sokol has been promoted from vice president of finance and administration to chief financial officer; Tracy Ford has been promoted from executive director of member services to vice president of member services; and Michael Barrett has been promoted from sales associate to senior associate for sales and business development. — Matthew Mailloux is joining ClearPath as a policy analyst, working on the group’s energy technology portfolio. Mailloux was previously state budget director in the office of New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and served as an energy adviser. — XR Association, which represents XR technology companies, named Stephanie Montgomery as its vice president for research and best practices. She was most recently vice president of technology and standards at the Telecommunications Industry Association. — The Infusion Providers Alliance named Brad Traverse its executive director. Traverse most recently served as a senior adviser at HHS. — William “Mo” Cowan will be chief legal and external affairs officer at health insurance firm Devoted Health. He was previously head of global government affairs at General Electric. | | | None.
| | | OLD GLORY SUPER PAC (Super PAC) | | New Lobbying Registrations | | Capitol Counsel LLC: Ocean Conservancy, Inc.
Capitol Counsel LLC: Santander Holdings USa, Inc.
Citadel Enterprise Americas LLC: Citadel Enterprise Americas LLC
Conaway Graves Group, LLC: Maze Environmental
Duane Morris Government Strategies: Immunome Inc.
Federal Health Policy Strategies: Abbott Laboratories
Federal Health Policy Strategies: Alliance Of Community Health Plans
Federal Health Policy Strategies: Amerisourcebergen Corporation
Federal Health Policy Strategies: Emerus Holdings Inc.
Federal Health Policy Strategies: Fresenius Medical Care North America
Federal Health Policy Strategies: National Association For Home Care And Hospice
Federal Health Policy Strategies: Option Care
Federal Health Policy Strategies: Scan Health Plan
Federal Health Policy Strategies: Upmc
Federal Health Policy Strategies: Upmc Health Plan
Jake Perry + Partners: K&L Gates On Behalf Of Ansys, Inc.
Jake Perry + Partners: K&L Gates On Behalf Of Jobget
Larry Puccio, LLC: Thompson Construction Group Inc.
Liberty Partners Group, LLC: National Association For Home Care & Hospice
Natixis: Natixis
O'Keeffe Shahmoradi Strategies, LLC: Wptp Brevard Holdings, LLC
Reston Strategy Group, LLC: 535 Group, LLC On Behalf Of Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
The Spectrum Group: John Hancock Real Estate
Thorn Run Partners: City Of Winter Park, Fl | | New Lobbying Terminations | | Ballard Partners: Africell Holding
Ballard Partners: Asset Investment Group LLC
Ballard Partners: Kra Management LLC
Ballard Partners: Origin Logistics, LLC
Millennium Health: Millennium Health
National Association Of Theatre Owners: National Association Of Theatre Owners
| | A message from Natural Allies for Clean Energy: Natural gas is accelerating America's transition to a clean energy future. The reliability of natural gas enables the quick expansion of low-carbon renewable generation, and by partnering the two together, we can achieve rapid emissions reductions today - without sacrificing reliability and affordability. Academics and researchers agree: with the world's greatest interstate energy highway already in existence, and the ability to transport zero-carbon fuels of the future like green hydrogen, natural gas has the potential to continue to support carbon reduction and help us reach our climate goals faster.
Natural gas -- accelerating our transition to a clean energy future. Learn more at www.naturalalliesforcleanenergy.org | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |  |
