Lobbyists launch survey to measure K Street’s diversity

From: POLITICO Influence - Tuesday Oct 12,2021 10:02 pm

Oct 12, 2021

Presented by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

With Daniel Lippman

LOBBYISTS LAUNCH SURVEY OF K STREET’S DIVERSITY: The coalition of lobbyists looking to spur more diversity on K Street has launched an inaugural survey that the group hopes will help pressure lobbying firms into action when it comes to diversifying their rosters. The group behind the push, called the Diversity in Government Relations Coalition, formed earlier this year and is looking to establish baseline data on the demographic makeup of the influence world — similar to surveys being carried out on Capitol Hill to measure the diversity of Hill staffers.

— The coalition aims to use data from the survey to compile a report this winter that will offer solutions and best practices to help the downtown community more closely resemble the makeup of the country and advance equity efforts across the industry, which kicked off earlier this year with a pledge to win commitments to diversity and inclusion from the lobbying world. The pledge already has more than a dozen signatories, including America's Health Insurance Plans, the National Association of Broadcasters and Signal Group.

— “Diversity and inclusion performance in government relations is integral to advancing policies that reflect diverse perspectives throughout the private and public sectors,” Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) said in a statement provided by the coalition. Beatty chairs the influential Congressional Black Caucus, as well as the House Financial Services Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee.

A message from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network:

The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides lifesaving cancer screenings in low-income communities, but fewer than 2 in 10 eligible individuals received breast or cervical cancer screenings through this critical safety net program. Lawmakers must take action to end this divide in access to cancer prevention, early detection and treatment. Increased funding for the NBCCEDP will help more individuals get the cancer care they need—and help end this alarming divide.

SHIPPING UP TO BOSTON: Ballard Partners is opening its first U.S. office outside of its home state of Florida and the nation’s capital. The lobbying firm has tapped Eugene O’Flaherty to lead a new office in Boston, as the firm bolsters its ties with the Biden administration and works to grow its congressional practice — Massachusetts’ congressional delegation includes some of the most powerful Democrats in Washington.

— Ballard will also engage on the state and local level in Massachusetts, partner Justin Sayfie told PI, noting that many of the firm’s existing clients in Florida and Washington also do business in Massachusetts, which was a driving factor in the firm’s decision-making process.

— The Florida-based firm already has six offices in the Sunshine State. After Donald Trump was inaugurated in 2017, founder and president Brian Ballard , a top Trump fundraiser, opened up shop in Washington, where the firm quickly became one of the top-earning operations on K Street. Ballard opened its first international office in Tel Aviv last year. Though Ballard had some Democratic lobbyists prior to Trump’s loss in November, the firm ramped up its Democratic hires, adding a top Democratic fundraiser and a former Democratic chief of staff and promoting a Florida Democratic consultant since the election.

— O’Flaherty — a longtime state legislator who also served as corporation counsel for the city of Boston and was a top aide to now-Labor Secretary Marty Walsh — joined the firm as a partner back in March. He’ll run Ballard’s new Boston office alongside Stephen Passacantilli, also a former Walsh staffer.

Good afternoon and welcome to PI, home of the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs and ALCS-bound Boston Red Sox (gotta gloat while I can). Send K Street tips: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.

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DON’T BANK ON IT: As the Biden administration and congressional Democrats continue to hammer out the details of their social spending legislation, negotiators are trying to contend with public and industry uproar that the banking industry has spun up to fight a proposed pay-for that would require banks to provide the IRS with new data to crack down on tax cheats, The New York Times’ Kate Kelly and Alan Rappeport report.

— “Banks and their trade groups are running advertising and letter-writing campaigns to raise awareness — and concern — about the proposal. As a result, banks from Denver to Philadelphia say they are being deluged with calls, emails and in-person complaints from both savers and small-business owners worried about the proposal. JPMorgan Chase & Company has issued talking points to bank tellers on what to tell angry customers who call or come into a branch to complain.”

— “The outcry over the proposed measures stems in large part from a carefully planned lobbying campaign by the banking industry, which has spent months raising awareness and opposition to the plan in cities and towns across the country. Banks say the reporting requirements would raise their costs and put them in the unenviable position of handing customer information over to the I.R.S. Top industry trade groups have hammered the proposal in emails and phone calls to members. They have argued their case in meetings with senior administration officials, including [Treasury Secretary Janet] Yellen and Charles P. Rettig, who runs the I.R.S. They established a social media hashtag, #KeepMyBankingPrivate, that some executives have used in sharing their doubts about the proposal.”

— For their part, “Treasury officials say they are flummoxed by the outrage, given that banks of all sizes initially told them they could comply with the rules, which would not take effect until 2024. ‘They have made clear during conversations with banks that firms can easily implement a simple proposal like the one under consideration in Congress, and that any compliance costs would be minimal,’” a Treasury spokesperson, Alexandra LaManna, told the Times.

EV UNION PROVISIONS SPARK INFIGHTING AMONG AUTOMAKERS: “Automakers generally back President Biden’s green energy plan, which would spend billions of government dollars to construct charging stations across the nation and expand incentives that lessen the cost of buying an EV,” The Hill’s Karl Evers-Hillstrom writes. “But they’re sharply divided over a key tax credit component of the proposal. Under the legislation advanced by the House Ways and Means Committee last month, most EVs would qualify for a $7,500 tax credit. But union-built EVs assembled in the U.S. would receive an additional $4,500 in credits.”

— “Only Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, Chrysler’s parent company, would benefit from the extra incentive, as union workers assemble most of their EVs in U.S. plants. The proposal effectively leaves other automakers, including Tesla, the nation’s main EV manufacturer, at a $4,500 per vehicle disadvantage. The provision has drawn outrage from car manufacturers that do not have unionized workforces, including Honda and Toyota, which blasted the legislative language as ‘blatantly biased’ and ‘discriminatory.’”

THE NEW FUNDRAISING FRONTIER?: “A group of Democratic operatives plans to turn political memorabilia and photos into NFTs, looking to raise money by minting — and then selling — digital assets beyond the sports and entertainment arenas,” Axios’ Hans Nichols reports. “On Monday, a new group, Front Row, will launch a political NFT marketplace — and only allow Democratic campaigns and causes to use it. The first NFTs for sale will be digital collectibles from the Texas Democratic Party. For example, for $250, a political activist can purchase a digital ‘Wanted’ poster, with animation, of different Texas lawmakers who fled the state this year in a failed effort to block its new restrictive voting law.” Scott Jensen, a Republican running for governor in Minnesota, claimed in August that he was the first politician to offer an NFT, a trend that’s become popular among sports and entertainment figures.

DEM PRESSES TIKTOK ON JAN. 6 EXTREMIST CONTENT: “Senate Homeland Security Chairman Gary Peters (D-Mich.) on Tuesday pressed video-sharing app TikTok for information about its efforts to curb violent extremist content before and after the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, expanding the panel’s probe into how social media may have contributed to the violence,” The Washington Post’s Cristiano Lima writes.

— “Peters expressed concern over reports that domestic extremists used the platform to ‘recruit, organize and communicate’ in the days leading up to the riot, and that they ‘continue to spread their messages through content supporting white supremacists, extremists, and terrorist organizations.’ He called on TikTok to provide the panel with information by Oct. 27 on how it enforced policies against extremist and violent content before and after Jan. 6, whether the company cooperated with federal authorities in those efforts and whether its algorithms amplified any of that content,” requests similar to those Peters has sent Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

NHL ASKS LAWMAKERS TO HONOR ‘JACKIE ROBINSON OF HOCKEY’: Hockey season kicks off tonight, and the National Hockey League asked lawmakers to honor the moment by recognizing the first Black professional hockey player in the U.S., Willie O’Ree, with the highest civilian honor that Congress can bestow.

— “Willie’s impact on American history and culture is evident in each child who has accessed greater opportunity through his work, as well as the millions of hockey players and fans of all races, colors, and ethnicities who have been inspired by his story,” more than 30 NHL executives wrote in a letter to House members today, urging them to support the Willie O’Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act, which was approved unanimously in the Senate in July. “With full recognition of the significance of the Congressional Gold Medal, we believe Willie’s trailblazing accomplishments and lifetime of service make him more than deserving of this high honor,” they said of the former Boston Bruins winger.

Jobs Report

— Victoria Dean has returned to Portland Communications as deputy CEO. She was most recently director of global policy at Google.

— Vasishth Srivastava has been named a director at Evergreen Strategy Group. He most recently was chief of staff to Hartford, Conn., Mayor Luke Bronin and is a Hillary Clinton 2016 alum.

— Trident DMG has promoted Alex Lange to vice president, Caroline Beckmann to senior director, Maddie Proctor to account manager and Simone Jackenthal and Lincoln Zweig to director.

— Robert de Jongh is joining Brunswick Group ’s business and society practice group as a partner. He was most recently managing director for digital and strategic transformations at Deloitte.

— Jason Stverak is joining the Credit Union National Association as deputy chief advocacy officer for federal government affairs. He previously was deputy chief of staff for Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.).

— Colleen Bell is now a managing director at Finsbury Glover Hering. She most recently was a senior adviser and legislative director for Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).

— Riya Anandwala is joining cryptocurrency exchange Bullish to work on comms. She was most recently director of industry communications at the Consumer Technology Association.

— Chloe Autio is joining the Cantellus Group to work on AI policy for public and private sector clients. She was most recently a director of policy at Intel.

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 .

New Joint Fundraisers

Devolder Santos Victory Committee (GADS PAC, Devolder Santos for Congress Recount)
Van Duyne Boebert Victory Fund (Reps. Beth Van Duyne, Lauren Boebert)
Winning Women Victory Committee 2022 (Kiggans for Congress, Esther for Congress, Monica for Congress)

New PACs

ALABAMA'S FUTURE (Super PAC)
BLACK WOMEN VOTERS' LEGACY (Super PAC)
Central Valley Victory PAC (Hybrid PAC)
Experience Matters for New Hampshire (Super PAC)
LEELEE's PAC for Life & Labor (PAC)
LEELEE's PAC for Life & Unions (PAC)
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc., Political Action Committee (Live Nation PAC) (PAC)
MADAM FOR AMERICA PAC (PAC)
Mission America PAC (Super PAC)
NAPHCARE, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NAPHCARE PAC) (PAC)
Silent No More (Super PAC)

New Lobbying Registrations

Acg Advocacy: Plant Medicine Coalition
American Defense International, Inc.: Enalare Therapeutics, Inc.
Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz /The Daschle Group: Antofagasta Minerals S.A.
Boundary Stone Partners: Goodleap LLC
Greenberg Traurig, LLP: International Education Corporation
Holland & Knight LLP: Sailplan
Holland & Knight LLP: Tribn LLC (On Behalf Of Inupiat Community Of The Arctic Slope)
Holland & Knight LLP: Uc Health
Kelsay Strategies LLC: Condista
Kelsay Strategies LLC: United States Telecom Association
Ms. Maggi Lazarus: O'Rourke And Associates, LLC (On Behalf Of Victoria'S Secret & Co.)
Strategic Marketing Innovations: Solvay America, Inc.
Tarplin, Downs & Young, LLC: Novocure Inc.

New Lobbying Terminations

Acg Advocacy: Pharmaceutical Research And Manufacturers Of America
Adams And Reese, LLP: Metro Govt Of Nashville And Davidson County
Covington & Burling LLP: Emd Millipore
Delta Development Group, Inc.: Butler County Commissioners
Delta Development Group, Inc.: Colonel Drake Cultural Alliance, Inc.
Delta Development Group, Inc.: Evangelical Community Hospital
Delta Development Group, Inc.: Garry Gilliam Foundation Dba The Bridge Hbg, LLC
Delta Development Group, Inc.: Lafayette College
Hannegan Landau Poersch & Rosenbaum Advocacy, LLC: Rosenbauer America LLC
Hannegan Landau Poersch & Rosenbaum Advocacy, LLC: Solvd Health
Holland & Knight LLP: Fee Deductibility Coalition
Holland & Knight LLP: Kemet Electronics Corporation
Holland & Knight LLP: National Association Of Personal Financial Advisors
Holland & Knight LLP: Neteera Technologies Ltd.
Mason Street Consulting, LLC: Exer Labs, Inc.
Mason Street Consulting, LLC: Patho3Gen Solutions
Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP: Paper Excellence Holdings Corporation
Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP: Total Administrative Services Corporation
Rich Feuer Anderson: Genworth Financial Inc
Rock & Associates: Women'S International Pharmacy
Stonington Global: Nostrum Pharmaceuticals LLC
The Aegis Group, Ltd.: Go Mama Go Designs
The Keelen Group, LLC: International Union Of Painters And Allied Trades
West Capital Inc.: Al Havryshuk (Formerly Known As Cabinet Of Ministers Of Ukraine)

A message from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network:

For every person who has cervical cancer detected early through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), nine others don’t have the chance. We must end this divide.

The NBCCEDP provides lifesaving cancer screenings in low-income communities and to uninsured and underinsured Americans, but fewer than 2 in 10 eligible people received breast or cervical cancer screenings through this critical safety net program. Increased funding for the NBCCEDP can help ensure more people get the care they need from the program and may even save states money on treatment costs when cancer is detected at earlier stages.

Tell Congress to take action and prioritize health. Tell Congress to increase funding for the NBCCEDP.