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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 COZEN O’CONNOR HIRES DAVIS: Former Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) is joining Cozen O’Connor as a managing director. The five-term congressman left office last week after redistricting set up a member-on-member primary last summer, which Rep. Mary Miller won. — “I didn't expect to lose an election, but I had a pretty long off-ramp,” Davis, who talked to multiple firms downtown, said in an interview. “I got a chance to really decide where I wanted to go, who I wanted to be with.” Davis added that he’s eager for “the chance to still be engaged in the public policy arena here in D.C., and also in Illinois and other states.” — Davis, who is barred from lobbying the Hill for one year, said he expects he’ll register to lobby eventually, or sooner if a client “think[s] I can have influence with” the Biden administration. “I've realized that there's opportunities to be effective in public policy if you were effective as a member.” — In the meantime, he said that he expects to focus on many of the same issue areas that he did in Congress, where he was the top Republican on the House Administration Committee and the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee’s highways and transit panel. — Davis was also an active member of the House Agriculture Committee, and told PI he plans on advocating for ag clients as negotiations on the farm bill ramp up. While he said that the ag, nutrition and conservation policy bill would likely always include a fight over baseline spending, Davis predicted there wouldn’t be “a lot of major changes, in my opinion, from … the last two farm bills” thanks to Republicans controlling at least one side of the process. — “If the Democrats were able to keep the majority, I think you would have seen a wholly different farm bill” with a greater emphasis on climate that stood to have a greater impact on producers, he added. — Davis is the fourth former House member to land a cushy lobbying gig since leaving office in the past few weeks, joining Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), who joined Holland & Knight; G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), who joined McGuireWoods and Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), who’s now at K&L Gates. Hello, and welcome to PI. If you've ever worked or interacted with our former editor Blake Hounshell or just feel compelled to help out, the newsrooms at The New York Times and POLITICO have organized a fundraiser to support Blake's wife and children in the difficult days ahead. You can donate here. As always, send lobbying tips or reach out to share great memories of Blake: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.
| | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | VENUES NAME NEW LEADER: The National Independent Venue Association has tapped new leadership as the pandemic-born lobbying group moves to orient itself for the longer term. Stephen Parker was named today as the new executive director for NIVA, which was among the live entertainment organizations that led the charge for a pandemic relief program for concert venues and theaters. — Parker was most recently vice president of communications and public affairs at the venture capital firm gener8tor and, before that, spent almost a decade at the National Governors Association , where he served as a liaison between governors and Washington. He also sits on the boards of several music organizations, the Country Music Association and the Center for Music Ecosystems,and previously served as an adviser to Sen.Tim Kaine(D-Va.) during his time as Virginia governor. Parker will succeed founding executive director Rev. Moose, a co-founder of the boutique music marketing firm Marauder. — NIVA came together at the height of Covid-19 shutdowns in 2020, formed by venues like Washington’s 9:30 Club, New York’s (Le) Poisson Rouge and Philadelphia’s World Cafe Live, as well as festivals, promoters and comedy clubs. The group quickly began pressing lawmakers for federal assistance to keep venues from shutting down. — The resulting Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program got off to a rough start, plagued by glitches and delays at the Small Business Administration. The Washington Post later reported that millions of dollars meant for independent venues instead went to subsidiaries of events giant Live Nation or firms in which Live Nation had significant investments. — As pandemic restrictions faded away, NIVA began to pivot toward the future. It formed a PAC in 2021, though FEC records show NIVA PAC only raised around $400. Part of Parker’s charge will be growing NIVA’s membership as well as advocating for greater diversity and equity across the live events industry. DISTILLERS TAP NEW TOP LOBBYIST: Denzel McGuire is joining the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. as its next chief of federal and state government relations. McGuire, an alum of the Trump administration, most recently was a principal at her own eponymous firm. Before that, she worked at the Grocery Manufacturers Association (now known as the Consumer Brands Association) and worked on the Hill for more than two decades, including in Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office. She was also a top aide to former Sens. Jon Kyl and Judd Gregg. CHANGING OF THE GUARD: “Newly elected House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has blessed the elevation of a top aide to former speaker Nancy Pelosi(D-Calif.) to lead the House Majority PAC, the principal outside group that funds ads for Democratic members of Congress,” the Post's Michael Scherer reports. — “The elevation of Mike Smith, a senior adviser to Pelosi in the last cycle, who also advised the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and HMP, will bring continuity to the party’s relationships with donors and vendors as Democrats position themselves to win back the House.” — “‘By bringing on Mike Smith as President, House Majority PAC will ensure a smooth transition so that Democratic candidates can maximize every opportunity and we can ensure Democrats take back the House in 2024,’ Jeffries said Tuesday in a statement.” — “Many of the party’s top donors gathered Tuesday night at a Washington hotel for a celebratory dinner sponsored by the DCCC and an adjacent fundraiser for HMP, according to people involved in the planning, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the events were private. Both groups have historically worked in concert with the party’s leadership in Congress, with HMP raising money in unlimited sums from wealthy donors, while the campaign committee operates under stricter campaign finance limits.” KNOWING MCCARTHY’S K STREET NETWORK: “House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy’s ascension to Speaker could be a boon for a small group of lobbyists within his inner circle,” The Hill’s Karl Evers-Hillstrom writes. — “McCarthy has relied on a small handful of lobbyists for advice and fundraising help. Now those allies are a hot commodity among corporate clients eager to make inroads with McCarthy, who is in lockstep with corporate America on economic policy but has chastised major companies for wading into social and political issues.” — “‘He has an open door to businesses and industries which align with cutting regulations and costs for consumers and families,’ said John Stipicevic, a lobbyist at the CGCN Group and former deputy chief of staff for floor and member services for McCarthy. — “It took four days and 15 votes for McCarthy to secure the Speakership, and former aides of the new Speaker who have moved to lobbying positions gave him credit for cutting a deal and offering a series of concessions to secure the votes of his opponents.” — “‘It’s a testament to Kevin, and it’s a testament to his staff, that he was able to keep on talking and eventually land this plane,’ said Ben Howard, a lobbyist at the Duberstein Group who served as McCarthy’s floor director. ‘That kind of perseverance is how he’s going to go into negotiations with the Senate and the White House.’”
| | | SPOTTED at a new member reception for the Texas congressional delegation hosted by BGR Group on Tuesday, per a tipster: Texas GOP Reps. Michael Burgess, Michael McCaul, Randy Weber, Beth Van Duyne, Ronny Jackson, Tony Gonzales, Monica De La Cruz, Wesley Hunt, Nathaniel Moran and Keith Self; BGR’s Jerry Strickland, Loren Monroe, Brent Del Monte, Justin Rzepka, Jennifer Lukawski and David Urban; Matt Stroia of Pfizer, Chris Rosello of MetLife, Katie Jordan of Corteva, Missy Foxman of the Entertainment Software Association, Ashley De Smeth of Grubhub, Roger Libby of DHL, Michael Dean of NCTA - The Internet & Television Association, Cara Moon of Reynolds American, Josh Lynch of Verizon, Jon Beamer of Cognizant Technology Solutions, Aiken Hackett of BIO, Jenifer Healy of Abbott, Sydney Pettit of CTIA, Carol Danko of Prudential, Cort Bush of NBCUniversal, Courtney Veatch of Fresenius Medical Care and Blake Adami of Snap Inc. — Theresa W. Reed, most recently communications director for Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), has joined Hance Scarborough as counsel in the federal affairs practice. — Kathleen Kelly Daughety will be vice president of campaigns and civic engagement at the mental health nonprofit Inseparable. She was most recently NYC election and legislation co-lead of Moms Demand Action and is a Michael Bennet alum. — Laura Margison is now senior director of communications at Enduring Earth. She previously was director of communications at the Pew Charitable Trusts. — Gary McElyea has been named director of health and nutrition advocacy for Coca-Cola. He’s currently group director of Coke’s North America Public Policy Center, leading the company’s ESG agenda in the U.S. and Canada.
| | | Chief Among Us (All For Our Country Leadership PAC, Giddy Up PAC)
HOUSE CONSERVATIVE VICTORY FUND (Rep. Kevin Hern, House Conservatives Fund)
| | | Americans for American Business in America (Super PAC)
Sensible Center PAC (PAC)
Tiger PAC (PAC)
Women Have Initiative To Elect, Boost, and Organize for A Real Democrat PAC (WHITEBOARD PAC) (Super PAC)
| | New Lobbying Registrations | | Boundary Stone Partners: Ninedot Energy
Carmen Group Incorporated: Qualtek LLC
Dutko Worldwide, LLC: North Salt Lake, Ut
Entegris: Entegris
Hogan Lovells US LLP: Binance Holdings Limited
Invariant LLC: Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator
Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell LLP: Naples Airport Authority
Pen America: Pen America
Quantinuum LLC: Quantinuum LLC
Silver Legal Services LLC: Alaska Power And Telephone
Silver Legal Services LLC: City Of Craig, Alaska
Silver Legal Services LLC: City Of Ketchikan
Silver Legal Services LLC: City Of King Cove, Alaska
Silver Legal Services LLC: Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council
Squire Patton Boggs: Beta Technologies
Tai Ginsberg & Associates, LLC: American Concrete Pavement Association
Washington Matters LLC: Industry Council For Tangible Assets
| | New Lobbying Terminations | | Cassidy & Associates, Inc.: Arnold Ventures
Gordon Thomas Honeywell Governmental Affairs: City Of Gig Harbor
Hannegan Landau Poersch & Rosenbaum Advocacy, LLC: Peachtree Health Group, LLC
Hannegan Landau Poersch & Rosenbaum Advocacy, LLC: Somos Community Care
Holland & Knight LLP: Walton County, Ga
John Ladd & Associates, Inc.: Benedict College
Resolution Public Affairs, LLC: Bd (Becton, Dickinson And Company)
Resolution Public Affairs, LLC: Mainspring Energy
Rml Strategies: Ncta, The Internet & Television Association
Robertson, Monagle, & Eastaugh Pc (Formelry Known At Hoffman, Silver, Gilman And: Trident Seafoods Corporation
Ryan Costello Strategies: Signature Science, LLC
Sidley Austin LLP: Comdata, Inc.
Sidley Austin LLP: Owl Rock Capital Partners
Squire Patton Boggs: Atc Healthcare Services, LLC
Tiber Creek Group: Kolmar Americas Inc.
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