Top aide to GOP approps leader heads to K Street

From: POLITICO Influence - Tuesday Sep 20,2022 10:01 pm
Presented by the National Confectioners Association: Delivered daily, Influence gives you a comprehensive rundown and analysis of all lobby hires and news on K Street.
Sep 20, 2022 View in browser
 
POLITICO Influence newsletter logo

By Caitlin Oprysko

Presented by

the National Confectioners Association

With Daniel Lippman

FIRST IN PI — TOP GRANGER AIDE HEADS TO K STREET: Cole Rojewski, who is chief of staff to the top Republican on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), has decamped for K Street to hang a shingle with another longtime GOP staffer.

— Rojewski has teamed up with Todd Willens, who founded Potomac Consulting last year after serving as chief of staff at the Interior Department during the Trump administration, to launch RBW Group . The acronym “stands for Run, Build, Win, because that's what we've done in Washington and campaigns for years and we're going to bring that same mentality to our clients,” Rojewski said in an interview.

— With Rojewski’s former boss poised to become Appropriations chair in a Republican-led House, appropriations will be among RBW Group’s initial focuses, along with energy, natural resources and Interior-related issues, though Rojewski told PI the idea is to broaden its offerings eventually.

— The pair has already signed up two clients: quantum networking tech company Qubitekk, which works on grid security and encrypting drones; and aerial firefighting startup Caylym.

FIRST IN PI II — MEHLMAN ADDS A DEMOCRAT: Caitlin Van Sant is heading back downtown to join Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas as a principal after more than three years as a staffer for Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.). Van Sant served as Butterfield’s legislative director working on his health care, education and labor priorities, and before that lobbied for the Children’s Hospital Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics and worked on state health and agriculture policy at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization.

— Van Sant will register to lobby primarily on health care clients for Mehlman, she said in an interview, adding that when Butterfield announced his retirement, “I realized what I really wanted was to land somewhere where I felt supported, empowered and challenged, and surrounded by a fantastic team — Mehlman Castagnetti checks all of those boxes.”

Good afternoon and welcome to PI. Send tips: coprysko@politico.com . And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.

 

JOIN WEDNESDAY FOR A GLOBAL INSIDER INTERVIEW : A number of overlapping crises such as climate change, public health emergencies and a gloomy global economic outlook are coming to a head this year. How do we confront all of these issues on multiple fronts? Join POLITICO Live on Thursday September 22nd at 10:30 a.m. ET for a virtual conversation with Global Insider author Ryan Heath featuring World Bank President David Malpass to explore what it will take to restore some global stability and avoid the worst of a possible global recession. REGISTER HERE.

 
 

A message from the National Confectioners Association:

America’s chocolate and candy companies are providing more choice and portion guidance options for consumers seeking to manage their sugar intake – whether that’s buying candy for family celebrations, picking up a treat to share with friends or enjoying a treat on the way out of the store. From beloved classics to new offerings like low/zero sugar and organic, the confectionery industry is meeting consumers where they want to be met. Learn more at AlwaysATreat.com.

 

BARRACK TRIAL JUDGE: TRUMP MAY BE CALLED TO TESTIFY: “Former President Donald Trump may be called as a witness at the criminal trial of Thomas Barrack , a private equity investor and former Trump fundraiser charged with acting as an unregistered agent for the United Arab Emirates,” Reuters’ Luc Cohen reports.

— “U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan in Brooklyn told several prospective jurors for Barrack's trial about the prospect of Trump testifying to gauge whether they might be biased against the defendant.”

— Barrack and his former aide and co-defendant Matthew Grimes, who have both have pleaded not guilty, “intend to argue that their interactions with UAE officials were part of their work, and Barrack's lawyers have said the U.S. State Department, and Trump himself, knew of his contacts with Middle East officials,” arguing in a court filing that “Trump and members of his administration ‘cannot be ruled out as potential witnesses.’”

PI ON THE ROAD: Your host is heading to Brooklyn this week as the Barrack and Grimes trial kicks off, so continue to watch this space for more coverage from the courthouse. If you'll be at there as well, come say hello! If you've got any other tips about the proceedings, as always, my inbox is open.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROTUNDA: While at least one House Republican is itching to take the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to task as part of a potential GOP majority next year — a warning the Chamber has panned — the business lobby remains close with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who held court at the group’s headquarters on Monday, per Axios’ Hans Nichols.

— “In a 45-minute question-and-answer session at the chamber, McConnell paired his optimism about winning the Senate with a stark warning about what’s at stake in the election” while “using his remarks to stress the importance of free trade agreements and downplay the emergence of populism in his party.”

— The confab comes after the Chamber “gave $3 million to the McConnell-aligned Senate Leadership Fund super PAC for the Pennsylvania Senate race earlier this month, as Axios first reported. Chamber president and CEO Suzanne Clark praised McConnell at Monday's event for being a ‘partner and ally’ to the business community and called him ‘a staunch defender of the values we all share.’ She also noted that McConnell understands ‘personnel is policy’ and that the two of them have worked to push back against some candidates at regulatory agencies.”

IS AN IRA EXODUS TO K STREET IN THE OFFING?: “Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act could mean a wave of Democratic climate change and energy staffers moving from Capitol Hill to advocacy groups and lobbying firms,” E&E News’ Timothy Cama reports.

— “The law, which includes $369 billion for climate and related matters, is by some standards the biggest piece of climate legislation to pass Congress” and the package, “along with other significant recent legislation, like the CHIPS and Science Act — are likely to spur demand for people with intimate expertise on how to make the most of the new laws.”

— “‘A lot of the real action now happens on implementation. It goes to the agencies, they promulgate rules and regulations on how grant programs work, what the congressional intent was and the like,’ said Blake Androff, a managing director at Signal Group and former Democratic Capitol Hill and Interior Department staffer.”

CASE IN POINT: Holland & Knight has added Elizabeth Noll, who most recently served as deputy assistant secretary for House affairs at the Energy Department, as a senior policy adviser as the downtown community turns its gaze to the Biden administration’s implementation of the IRA.

— Noll previously was a vice president at the energy and climate consultancy Coefficient Group and worked for the Natural Resources Defense Council to shape clean energy policy for the building, transportation and power sectors.

— “Elizabeth is a superstar in the clean energy policy world and was intimately involved in the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act,” Rich Gold, who leads Holland & Knight's public policy and regulation group, said in a statement, calling Noll “the perfect addition to our team as we enter a new era of investment in renewable energy and clean technology infrastructure.”

Taite McDonald, who co-leads the firm’s federal clean energy technology practice, added that Noll’s resume will “help our clients navigate the risks and rewards that the government's historic investment means for their businesses.”

LIV-ING LIFE: LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman is hitting the Hill this week, where he’s set to meet with the Republican Study Committee during the group’s weekly lunch on Wednesday, Chair Jim Banks (R-Ind.) told POLITICO’s Jordain Carney and Daniel.

— “We’re excited to have him. He’s a legend. I think a lot of us are just curious. There’s the PGA vs. LIV Golf. The competitive nature of it. There’s been a lot of publicity about it,” Banks said, adding that the RSC was a “forum for members to learn and have a dialogue, sometimes a spirited dialogue,” and so having a conversation with Norman was “a conversation we're looking forward to having.”

— Daniel scooped earlier this week that the Aussie golfer-turned-LIV executive “was coming to Washington to meet with lawmakers of both parties as he tries to bolster LIV’s public image.” Norman’s trip comes as the Saudi-financed league recently added its first lobbyists in response to criticism about its ties to Saudi Arabia, and as the league has feuded with the rival PGA Tour , whose actions toward LIV have reportedly sparked an antitrust inquiry at the Justice Department.

FLYING IN: The International Franchise Association is heading to the Hill on Wednesday for the trade group’s first full in-person fly-in since the Covid pandemic struck. The trade group’s leadership conference in Washington kicked off on Monday, and today franchise owners will hear from McConnell, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and DOL wage and hour division nominee Jessica Looman.

— More than 300 attendees have nearly 20 meetings scheduled all over the Hill — mostly in person, with some virtual. Franchise owners will talk with lawmakers generally about the franchise business model, but they’ll also discuss the as well as the NLRB’s new proposed joint employer rule, the FTC’s franchise rule, and the employee retention tax credit.

— Meanwhile the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association is kicking off its annual fly-in today. The group will hear from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), White House infrastructure coordinator Mitch Landrieu.

— The trade association then has more than 200 meetings on the Hill on tap tomorrow, including with Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and McConnell and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), to name a few. They’ll chat implementation of the infrastructure bill, red tape and workforce development.

CORRECTION: Monday’s Influence mischaracterized the final version of California’s FAST Recovery Act. It does not include joint liability for franchises. PI regrets the error.

 

A message from the National Confectioners Association:

Advertisement Image

 
Jobs Report

Mark Atalla is joining TCH Group as senior adviser for health care strategy. He most recently served as senior adviser to the CMS administrator for prescription drug pricing and the CMS Innovation Center as well as to Operation Warp Speed leadership.

Elizabeth Evenson is joining the Institute for Reforming Government as a senior policy and operations adviser and Patrick Hughes is joining as a fellow in corrections and public safety. Evenson most recently served as a policy head and a cabinet-level appointee at Wisconsin's Office of the Commissioner of Insurance under former Gov. Scott Walker, and Hughes served as a cabinet level leader at the state’s Department of Corrections.

Patricia Gibson is now project director at management consulting firm Cogent Analytics. She most recently was a business consultant and is a former senior adviser at the SBA in the Trump administration.

Michael Fleischer is now CEO of DDC at Omnicom Public Relations Group. He most recently was president of Burson Cohn & Wolfe’s D.C. office.

Jenny Busby is now director of government affairs for transportation policy at Siemens. She previously was public affairs adviser at Holland & Knight.

Kiara Pesante Haughton is now chief of communications at Dēmos. She previously was senior vice president in the issue advocacy practice at BerlinRosen.

Madison Malin is now PAC manager at Brady PAC. She is a Locust Street Group and Iowa Democratic Party alum.

Christine Weydig will be executive director at the Coalition for Reimagined Mobility. She was most recently director of sustainability at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Rachael Oury is now communications manager at S-3 Group, and Kiran Hoeffner-Shah is now a communications associate there. Oury was most recently senior manager for industry promotion at the Global Cold Chain Alliance, and is Department of Energy and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alum, and Hoeffner-Shah previously served as an associate at 3C Strategies.

Christopher Lydon is now director of government relations at critical materials and metals technology company IperionX. He was most recently senior policy analyst at J.A. Green & Company and is a Mike Enzi alum.

AnnaLou Tirol will be a partner in O’Melveny ’s white collar defense and corporate investigations practice. She previously was deputy director of the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.

Trent Edwards has joined the Chamber as vice president of technology member development, Morning Tech reports. He was previously vice president of membership and strategic partnerships at TechNet. John Neal has joined as executive director for space policy. He was previously an account executive with UiPath.

Esther Wagner has joined the Western Energy Alliance as manager of government affairs with a focus on public lands, air and water quality, and wildlife policies, per Morning Energy. She was most recently senior policy adviser to Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and previously worked for the Petroleum Association of Wyoming.

New Joint Fundraisers

BUDD KENNEDY MAJORITY COMMITTEE (Rep. Ted Budd, Sen. John Kennedy, North Carolina Republican Party, Pelican PAC)
Castelli Victory Fund (Castelli for Congress, New York State Democratic Committee)
CT Dream Team (France for CT-02, Jayme Stevenson for Congress, George Logan for Congress)
Kiggans Victory Fund (Kiggans for Congress, Helping Exceptional Leaders Organize PAC (Helo PAC), Republican Party Of Virginia Inc, NRCC)
Mike France Victory Fund (FAVIR PAC (France Advocates For Vets And Individual Rights PAC), Mike France CT2)

New PACs

1636 PAC (Super PAC)
Impact fund For Tigray (PAC)
Moms for Safe Streets (Super PAC)
WIN FOR NH (Super PAC)

New Lobbying Registrations

Bose Public Affairs Group: Coalition For Access Now
Carmen Group Incorporated: Brightseat Associates, LLC
Cypress Advocacy, LLC: Corelogic
Grant Consulting Group: Blueconduit
J M Burkman & Associates: Oguzhan Akdogan
Putalastrategies: Backpack Group, LLC
Telegraph Avenue Advisors: Agua Caliente Band Of Cahuilla Indians
Telegraph Avenue Advisors: Independent Beauty Association
The Consilio Group: Paratek Pharmaceuticals
The Joseph Group, LLC: Bitwarden

 

HAPPENING 9/29 - POLITICO’S AI & TECH SUMMIT : Technology is constantly evolving and so are the politics and policies shaping and regulating it. Join POLITICO for the 2022 AI & Tech summit to get an insider look at the pressing policy and political issues shaping tech, and how Washington interacts with the tech sector. The summit will bring together lawmakers, federal regulators, tech executives, tech policy experts and consumer advocates to dig into the intersection of tech, politics, regulation and innovation, and identify opportunities, risks and challenges ahead. REGISTER FOR THE SUMMIT HERE.

 
 
New Lobbying Terminations

Susan Thau Consulting, Inc.: Community Anti-Drug Coalitions Of America
Tower 19: Eastman Chemical Company

A message from the National Confectioners Association:

In 2017, America’s leading chocolate and candy companies joined forces in a landmark agreement to help consumers manage their sugar intake. In a commitment to Partnership for a Healthier America, these companies set an ambitious goal to provide more transparency, create more portion guidance options in innovative packaging and educate consumers about how unique products like chocolate and candy can be an occasional treat in a balanced lifestyle. The companies exceeded their commitment, empowering consumers to make informed choices and driving directional alignment within the broader confectionery industry. In fact, 85% of chocolate and candy sold today comes in packaging that contains 200 calories or less per pack – whether that’s individually wrapped products or multipacks that contain smaller packages inside. Learn more at AlwaysATreat.com.

 
 

Follow us

Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Listen on Apple Podcast
 

To change your alert settings, please log in at https://www.politico.com/_login?base=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.politico.com/settings

This email was sent to by: POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA

Please click here and follow the steps to .

More emails from POLITICO Influence