Business Roundtable ramps up permitting push

From: POLITICO Influence - Wednesday May 17,2023 10:02 pm

May 17, 2023

Presented by New Venture Fund

With Daniel Lippman

FIRST IN PI — BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE RAMPS UP PERMITTING PUSH: The Business Roundtable, whose membership comprises the country’s top corporate executives, is stepping up its campaign for a bipartisan permitting overhaul amid haggling over a potential breakthrough on the issue as part of talks to avoid a federal default.

— The business group is putting six-figures into an ad and lobbying blitz stressing the urgency of permitting reforms, which began prior to the passage of House Republicans’ sprawling energy package back in March but has remained a key target of a deal between the White House and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to raise the debt limit. Some Republicans have floated the idea of a two-track permitting reform process, kicking the can down the road on permitting tweaks sought by Democrats, sparking criticism on both sides of the aisle.

— The trade group hosted a summit on the issue Tuesday which included top officials from the United for Infrastructure coalition, whose members include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, AFL-CIO, National Association of Manufacturers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, Brookings’ Metropolitan Policy Program and more.

— “We’re encouraged by what we see on Capitol Hill with some bipartisan efforts underway and interest from the administration, and now we need to see policymakers from both sides of the aisle come together, with our help, and enact serious legislation,” BRT CEO Josh Bolten said at the event.

— Business Roundtable is also running radio ads inside the Beltway that call the current permitting process “a roadblock to new energy infrastructure projects,” and nod at both Republican and Democratic energy priorities. BRT also launched a digital and print ad buy — including a full-page print ad in POLITICO yesterday — and in daily newspapers in the states of lawmakers leading the push for permitting reform.

Happy Wednesday and welcome to PI. Send lobbying tips and gossip: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.

A message from New Venture Fund:

Millions of Americans are being forced to pay extra just to file their taxes online. Why? Because companies like Intuit have spent millions lobbying to block a free tax filing option. Intuit rakes in billions while struggling families get stuck with the bill. American taxpayers could save time, stress, and expense with a free, public tax filing option. It’s time to get it done.

LEVICK WINDS DOWN: Washington crisis comms firm Levick Strategic Communications is shutting down at the end of this month following the death in April of the firm’s founder, D.C. communications stalwart Richard Levick. All of Levick’s staffers will move over to Leidar USA, a new stateside outpost of the Geneva-based consultancy Leidar.

— Leidar USA will have offices in New York and Washington and give the combined firms 60 employees in total spread across eight global offices. Levick and Leidar have partnered together previously, noted Max Marcucci, a former senior vice president at Levick who will run Leidar USA’s D.C. office as managing director for risk and reputation. So “it was a pretty natural” move, he added, given that “a lot of us have already worked together in the past in some capacity anyway.”

— Plans for the transition had been in the works since before Levick’s death of cancer last month at the age of 65. “He knew that he needed to take care of his team,” Marcucci told PI. “That's what he wanted, and so … he spent a lot of time helping to arrange what we announced today.” Marcucci said that many of Levick’s clients will be moving over to the new firm as well, excluding those for whom Levick’s crisis comms work will wrap up shortly anyway.

— Leidar chief executive Rolf Olsen will continue in his current role, while Levick’s John Lovallo will run Leidar USA’s New York office as managing director of corporate and finance.

RENEWABLES LOBBY TAPS FOSSIL FUEL OPERATIVE: Frank Macchiarola is leaving the American Petroleum Institute after seven years to join the renewables lobbying group American Clean Power as their chief policy officer.

— Macchiarola currently serves as API’s senior vice president of policy, economics and regulatory affairs, and said in a statement that the energy industry is in the midst of a “generational change” and that he’s eager to be “a part of the next phase of the American energy revolution.”

— “Frank is uniquely qualified to understand the speed and scale we need to move the organization forward,” ACP CEO Jason Grumet said in a statement, adding that the trade group tapped Macchiarola in part to “bring both sides of the aisle, and different constituencies and communities, together to meet our common goal.”

— ACP also hired Terry Banks of Speakeasy Strategies as a deputy media relations director focused on transmission and supply chain issues and Phil Sgro of Glen Echo Group as a deputy media relations director focused on solar and storage issues.

MORE LAYOFFS DOWNTOWN: Arabella Advisors, the progressive philanthropy consulting firm, has laid off more than 30 employees, Daniel reports. The cuts have reduced the firm’s headcount by 10 percent and affected numerous departments.

— Employees were told that a number of factors contributed to the layoffs, including rising competition, aggressive recent growth and a souring economic climate. Arabella spokesperson Steve Sampson said in a statement that the firm is “adapting our operating model to meet the needs of our sector and our clients most efficiently and effectively” and that the layoffs “do not change our values or our commitment to helping changemakers create a better world.”

— In addition to its many other progressive clients, Arabella has attracted attention for its affiliation with the Democratic dark money powerhouse Sixteen Thirty Fund and been dubbed “the Left’s Dark-Money Manager” by The Atlantic. One employee affected told Daniel the cuts came after managers had repeatedly reassured them in recent months there would not be layoffs.

FLY-IN SZN: The deluge of fly-ins continued today as Hill appropriators began to roll out their spending bills, with visits from physician-owned hospitals, the cannabis industry and even the Swedish furniture giant IKEA, which talked sustainability with policymakers.

— Board members, hospital executives, and other representatives from Physician-Led Healthcare for America were set to meet with Reps. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) and Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), who are the lead sponsors of a bill the coalition is seeking to rally support for, which would repeal a provision stemming from the Affordable Care Act banning new physician-owned hospitals. They’re also slated to meet with Reps. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) and John Joyce (R-Pa.), Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and 15 other House and Senate offices.

— The National Cannabis Industry Association will be on the Hill to push for lawmakers to finally send the SAFE Banking Act to the president’s desk as well as other legalization, tax and regulation issues.

— The Concept Art Association, which represents artists working in entertainment, will wrap up a two-day fly-in with a demonstration from artists from the Avengers and Star Trek franchises. The fly-in, which coincides with a House hearing today on AI and copyright law, focused on discussions about preserving artists’ intellectual property online. IP lobbyist Cindi Merifield of R2P Strategies is coordinating the push.

SKDK SNAPS UP JASPER ADVISORS: Democratic consulting firm SKDK has acquired Jasper Advisors, the C-suite advisory firm founded last year by Julie Andreeff Jensen and David Sutphen. Jasper Advisors will be an independent subsidiary of SKDK and will maintain its team and leadership structure as well as its roster of clients across the business and sports worlds.

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Jobs Report

SPOTTED at the opening of Lowe’s D.C. office on Tuesday, per a tipster: Reps. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Don Davis (D-N.C.), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), Annie Kuster (D-N.H.), David Rouzer (R-N.C.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck’s Mark Pryor and LaKeitha Anderson, S-3 Group’s Michael Long, Consumer Technology Association’s Tiffany Moore, Lincoln Policy Group’s Blanche Lincoln, Jana Barresi, Sean Conner, Rob Curis, Reg Henderson and Meredith Preloh of Lowe’s, Ferox Strategies’ Cristina Antelo, Batie and Associates’ Rontel Batie, Keenan Hale and Mervyn Jones; National Retail Federation’s David French and Stephanie Martz, Retail Industry Leaders Association’s Michael Hanson, Brian Dodge and Austen Jensen; Business Roundtable’s Maria Ghazal and Matt Miller, Home Depot’s Brett Layson, West Front Strategies’ Malloy McDaniel and Shimmy Stein; Robert Edmonson of Rep. Robert Garcia’s (D-Calif.) office, Leah Hill of Sen. Cory Booker’s (D-N.J.) office, Derron Parks of the D.C. city council, Mitchell Rivard of Rep. Dan Kildee’s (D-Mich.) office, Procter & Gamble’s Nicole Collier, Flexport’s Darien Flowers, Tucker Knott of Sen. Ted Budd’s (R-N.C.) office, Horton's Kids’ Leigh Player, Stanley Black & Decker’s Greg Polk, Target’s Isaac Reyes and Etsy’s Jeffrey Zubricki.

— McDermott Will & Emery has added antitrust attorney Ryan Tisch as a partner in the firm’s regulatory practice. He was previously a partner at Crowell & Moring.

— David Valdez has joined CTIA as vice president of privacy and cybersecurity, per Morning Tech. He was previously director of global policy campaigns at Meta.

— Ally Perleoni has been promoted to director of government relations at the Association of American Medical Colleges.

— Heidi Peters has joined the RAND Corporation as a policy researcher, Morning Defense reports. She was previously a defense acquisition policy analyst with the Congressional Research Service.

— The National Restaurant Association has added Michael Monrroy as state affairs manager and Kelly Montgomery as policy communications manager. Monrroy previously was director of coalitions at the Libre Initiative. Montgomery previously was press secretary for Kildee.

— Adam Cooper is now assistant research director at the Center for Political Accountability. He most recently was deputy chief of staff at WelcomePAC.

— Scott Sendek is joining FlexPoint Media as principal and senior vice president to lead FlexPoint Advocacy, the firm’s new dedicated public affairs, corporate and advocacy offering. He was most recently vice president for political and advocacy at Cross Screen Media and is a Targeted Victory and Treasury alum.

— Ebony White has been promoted to be senior director of programs at Prosperity Now.

— ClimateTrade has hired Alec Saltikoff as U.S. adviser and Michael Cassis as vice president of sales. Saltikoff is the former global head of sustainability and energy at JPMorgan Chase and Cassis was previously sales director at Motus.

— Elizabeth Cullen is joining Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, as government relations director. She most recently served as associate director of health policy for the Jewish Federations of North America.

A message from New Venture Fund:

New Joint Fundraisers

None.

New PACs

KNIFE RIVER CORPORATION PAC (PAC)

A message from New Venture Fund:

Each year, Americans spend an estimated $31 billion just to file their taxes online. Why? Because tax preparation companies like Intuit have spent millions lobbying to block a free tax filing option that would be available to anyone who wants it. Intuit’s profits have skyrocketed, while families waste time and pay extra just to file their taxes online. Tax preparation companies are taking advantage of American taxpayers. In dozens of other countries, filing your taxes takes less than ten minutes and costs nothing. It’s time to save people time and money with a free, public online tax filing option.

New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Teradyne, Inc.
Blank Rome Government Relations: Golden Technologies, Inc.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Confluence Washington Strategies, LLC: Physmark, Inc
Congressional Colleagues, LLC: Sikh Assembly Of America
Courier Plus, Inc. Dba Dutchie: Courier Plus, Inc. Dba Dutchie
Crowell & Moring LLP: American Chamber Of Commerce In Shanghai
Harned Strategies LLC: Job Creators Network
Ice Miller LLP: Durnell'S Rv Sales, Inc.
Mason Street Consulting, LLC: Mindset On Behalf Of Mutual Of Omaha
Mr. Christopher Heinz: Central States Funds
State Street Strategies Dba One+ Strategies: Guilford Township Authority
State Street Strategies Dba One+ Strategies: Ugi Energy Services, LLC
Subject Matter: Economic Investment Alliance, Inc.
The Roosevelt Group: Northeast Uas Airspace Integration Research Alliance (Nuair)
The Wessel Group Incorporated: Rio Grande Resources Corporation

New Lobbying Terminations

None.

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