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Presented by Brilliant: Delivered daily, Influence gives you a comprehensive rundown and analysis of all lobby hires and news on K Street. | | | | | |  | | By Caitlin Oprysko | Presented by Brilliant | With Theodoric Meyer and Daniel Lippman AMONG CHRIS CHRISTIE’S CONSULTING CLIENTS — JUUL LABS: Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s firm, Christie 55 Solutions , brought in more than $1 million last year lobbying for clients such as the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority and three New Jersey hospital systems, according to disclosure filings. But Christie has also consulted for clients that he doesn’t lobby for and thus isn’t obligated to disclose. One of those clients: Juul Labs , the vaping company that went on a Washington hiring spree as the Trump administration threatened to — and ultimately did — crack down on the industry, Theodoric Meyer reports. — “Like many of our advisers and shareholders, Governor Christie’s family has experienced the harms of smoking combustible cigarettes, so he has advised us for 2 years as we seek to earn society’s trust and advance the potential for harm reduction for adult smokers which can only happen if we combat underage use,” a Juul spokesperson said in a statement to this newsletter. “He does not lobby for us." — In an interview, Christie said he’d provided “strategic advice and counsel” to Juul’s chief executive, K.C. Crosthwaite, as well as Crosthwaite’s predecessor, Kevin Burns, as a member of the company’s advisory board. He’s advised the company on a range of issues, he said, including how to deal with Congress, the executive branch and state governments as well as more general business issues. — Christie’s mother was a lifelong smoker who died of lung cancer in 2004, and he said her experience motivated him to work for Juul. “I really believe in what they’re trying to do in helping smokers get off cigarettes,” he said. (While a 2019 study found e-cigarettes could help smokers quit, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said more research is needed.) — Christie isn’t the only well-connected Republican whom Juul hired during Donald Trump’s presidency. — While the company hired lobbyists of both parties, it also brought on several people with ties to the Trump administration who did not act as lobbyists, including two former administration officials, Josh Raffel and Rebeccah Propp, who worked in communications for the company. Juul also brought on Johnny DeStefano, a former top aide in Trump’s White House, as an outside consultant. Propp has since left Juul. Raffel remains with the company and DeStefano is still a consultant. | | | | A message from Brilliant: Start learning with Brilliant and develop the problem-solving skills needed for a STEM career. Learn More | | | Happy Friday and welcome to PI. Got K Street tips? My inbox is open: coprysko@politico.com. As are my DMs: @caitlinoprysko. COMPANY BEHIND KEYSTONE XL ADDS BIDEN-LINKED LOBBYISTS TO REPERTOIRE: The Canadian developer of the Keystone XL pipeline hired another lobbyist with ties to President Joe Biden at the outset of his administration last month. TransCanada Pipelines hired Christopher Putala , who was an aide to Biden for nearly a decade on the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Inauguration Day — the same day Biden unilaterally revoked a key permit for the on-again, off-again project — according to a disclosure filed Thursday evening. Five days before, according to another disclosure filing this week, TransCanada’s parent company, TC Energy, hired Jeff Ricchetti, the brother of White House senior counselor Steve Ricchetti, to lobby on various energy issues. — For Putala, who runs Putala Strategies, TransCanada is among nine new clients this year. He disclosed a slew of new clean energy firms toward the end of last month — his first new clients since 2014, according to an analysis of disclosures (his client list also contains major corporate names like Comcast, T-Mobile and Oracle). For TC Energy, its lobbying hire and that of its subsidiary give the firm new ties to a Democratic Washington. TC Energy also retains Democrats Richard Sullivan and Darren Peters, while TransCanada retains the all-Republican firm CGCN Group. MORE NEW BUSINESS: Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld has signed Ant Group, Alibaba founder Jack Ma’s financial technology company whose mobile payment app Alipay was among seven others banned by former President Donald Trump in the final weeks of his presidency. — Peloton, whose sales of at-home exercise equipment have jumped during the pandemic, has hired its first lobbyists. The company registered Justin Kintz to lobby in house on issues relating to “made in America” manufacturing, social justice and equality issues and policies to support Americans’ health and wellness during the pandemic recovery, according to a disclosure filing. Peloton also hired a team from Tai Ginsberg & Associates and one from Forbes-Tate Partners to make introductions with members of Congress and to lobby on support for at-home fitness technology and on trade, commerce, tax and health issues respectively. Forbes-Tate also signed the American Hotel & Lodging Association. UP IN THE CLUB(HOUSE): Could Clubhouse , the hot new audio-only chat room app, become the next front in advocacy? The fitness industry, which has been lobbying to get targeted relief included in the coronavirus relief bill, held a panel discussion on the platform last night, bringing together fitness executives, government relations experts and professional athletes to rally support for the GYMS Act. — The session featured executives from fitness chains like Solidcore, Orangetheory Fitness, ClassPass, CrossFit and more, as well as Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson, former NFL players Shawne Merriman and Andrew East, and Matt Haller, the top lobbyist for the International Franchise Association, and averaged about 250 participants for the first hour, according to a spokesperson for the Community Gyms Coalition. — The spokesperson, Alex Conant, said the session “led to considerable engagement.” Haller told PI in an email that he could “totally see it as a burgeoning platform for raising awareness for issues in a more curated way,” calling bringing in a celebrity or thought leader to build an audience a “differentiator” in creating “a more intimate environment than can be done in any other format.” CHAMBER APPLAUDS RELIEF BILL CHANGES BUT HAS MORE ASKS: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Friday said it “appreciates” tweaks to the Senate’s version of a $1.9 pandemic relief bill that are aimed at narrowing payouts of direct stimulus and state and local aid, but it’s not quite ready to back the bill yet. — “On core elements of getting urgent aid to people, families, and businesses that need it most, there is more in common among Members of Congress than there are disagreements. Rather than letting the size of the package drive the policy, lawmakers should get the policy right and let that determine the overall cost,” Neil Bradley, the Chamber’s chief policy officer, wrote in a letter to senators today. — Bradley called on the Senate to adopt provisions that would narrow the bill even further, including on unemployment assistance, funding for schools, and aid to states and municipalities, in addition to liability protections for businesses, a provision Democrats have repeatedly rejected. ABOUT THOSE STEEL TARIFFS: “Newly installed U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Thursday defended former President Donald Trump's controversial duties on steel and aluminum imports, but added that no decision had been made about their future,” POLITICO’s Doug Palmer reports. "Let me say those tariffs have been effective. The data show that those tariffs have been effective," she said in an interview on MSNBC of the 25 percent steel and 10 percent aluminum penalties that irked trade allies and spurred a torrent of lobbying for relief. CGCN BETS ON REPUBLICANS: “Many of K Street’s power players have gone in search of Democratic talent now that the party controls official Washington, but one shop went in a totally different direction, recruiting its newest partner from the Trump administration,” Roll Call’s Kate Ackley reports. “The CGCN Group, an all-Republican lobbying and communications outfit, plans to remain a single-party firm, and unapologetically so, even though Democrats hold the Senate, House and White House” — if by slim margins, a dynamic CGCN is leaning into. | | | | DON'T MISS "THE RECAST": Power dynamics are changing. "Influence" is changing. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. "The Recast" is our new, twice-weekly newsletter that breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics, policy, and power in America. And POLITICO is recasting how we report on this crucial intersection, bringing you fresh insights, scoops and dispatches from across the country, and new voices that challenge "business as usual." Don't miss out on this important new newsletter, SUBSCRIBE NOW. Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | | | | — “‘We are very confident in our decision to stay all Republican. To write off Republicans is a bad business decision because clients are going to need them on so many of the issues Democrats are going to push,’” Antonia Ferrier, CGCN’s chief strategic communications officer, said.
— Husch Blackwell Strategies has added Karen Wayland as a special adviser for energy and environment to its federal practice group in D.C. Wayland is currently the interim CEO of GridWise Alliance and is an Obama DOE alum. — Precision Strategies has hired Denise Horn as managing principal for communications. She was previously senior director of inclusion marketing and communications at WarnerMedia and director of African American media for the 2016 Clinton campaign. — Habiba Mohamed is now federal affairs lead at Pay Our Interns , leading legislative efforts in Congress and the executive branch. She was previously an aide for the Congressional Progressive Caucus. — John Lee Shepherd Jr. has joined Hunton Andrews Kurth as a partner in the firm’s D.C. office. He was previously director of legal policy at FERC. | | | | A message from Brilliant:   | | | | | | Cassidy Leadership Fund (Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Continuing America’s Strength and Security PAC)
Timken Victory Committee (Jobs for A New Economy PAC, Jane Timken for Ohio) | | | Canopy Growth Employees Political Forum (PAC)
Jobs for A New Economy PAC (Leadership PAC: Timken)
Libertarian GOO (PAC)
Our Conservative View (PAC)
Portage County Young Democrats (PAC)
TheSixPac (PAC) | | | | For regulatory affairs professionals: AgencyIQ FDA Forecast 2021. In its inaugural year, AgencyIQ’s FDA Forecast predicts the FDA regulatory changes coming in 2021 and how they will impact the life sciences industry. Follow this link to learn more and download the summary. | | | | | | | New Lobbying Registrations | | AJW, Inc.: Partnership Project Action Fund
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld: Ant Group Co., Ltd.
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld: Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.
Barloon.Co: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Bramer Group, LLC: Strategic Global Aviation
Cavarocchi Ruscio Dennis Associates, L.L.C.: The Mann Center For The Performing Arts
Farragut Partners LLP: Dte Energy
Farragut Partners LLP: Families Against Mandatory Minimums
Farragut Partners LLP: Rsbix Co
Farragut Partners LLP: Trio Health Regulatory Advisory Group, LLC
Forbes-Tate: American Hotel & Lodging Association
Forbes-Tate: Peloton Interactive, Inc.
Forbes-Tate: Q Link Wireless, LLC
H&M Strategies LLP: Families Against Mandatory Minimums (Famm)
Hobart Hallaway & Quayle Ventures, LLC: Cerberus Capital Management, L.P.
Invariant LLC: Everlywell, Inc.
Keefe Singiser Partners: Subject Matter
Klein/Johnson Group: Denver International Airport
Mclarty Inbound LLC: La Asociacion Mexicana De Administradoras De Fondos Para El Retiro, A.C.
Michael Best Strategies LLC: Medline Industries, Inc.
Michael Powelson: Ecological Restoration Business Association
Nvg, LLC: Muslim Advocates
O'Brien, Gentry & Scott, LLC: Avlite Systems
Peloton Interactive, Inc.: Peloton Interactive, Inc.
Polsinelli Pc: Wallace Environmental Consulting, Inc.
Putalastrategies: Temptime Corportion
Putalastrategies: Transcanada Pipelines, Ltd.
Sidley Austin LLP: Sunrise Medical (US) LLC
Sirona Strategies LLC: Moving Health Home
Squire Patton Boggs: City Of Philadelphia - Division Of Aviation
Sunrise Movement: Sunrise Movement
Tai Ginsberg & Associates, LLC: Peloton Interactive, Inc
Team Hallahan LLC: Roosevelt Group LLC (On Behalf Of R2P Innovations)
Team Hallahan LLC: Roosevelt Group LLC (On Behalf Of Sciperio Inc.)
The Aegis Group, Ltd.: Twin Mountain Fence Compnay
The Edw Group: Flemming And Flemming, LLC
Torres Consulting And Law Group: UA Local 598
United By Interest, LLC.: Hilcorp Energy Company
Van Scoyoc Associates: San Diego State University Research Foundation
Vitello Consulting: Olympia Medical Center
Vitello Consulting: Wilson N. Jones Regional Medical Center | | New Lobbying Terminations | | Ballard Partners: Crowley Maritime Corporation
Congressional Strategies LLC: Health Net Federal Services
Hitrust: Hitrust
Paul Hastings LLP: Philips Electronics North America Corporation
Williams And Jensen, Pllc: General Electric Company (Previously Reported As Ge Aviation) | | | | A message from Brilliant: Start learning with Brilliant and develop the quantitative skills needed for a STEM career. Brilliant's interactive problem-solving and guided lessons will lead you to mastery. Learn More | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |  |
