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Presented by All* Above All: Delivered daily, Influence gives you a comprehensive rundown and analysis of all lobby hires and news on K Street. | | | | | |  | | By Caitlin Oprysko | | | With Megan Wilson, Daniel Lippman ROUSE TO LEAD BROOKINGS: The Brookings Institution has named Cecilia Rouse, the former top economic adviser to President Joe Biden, as the next leader of the storied left-leaning think tank, following Ret. Gen. John Allen’s resignation as president last summer. — Rouse chaired the White House Council of Economic Advisers up until March, when she returned to her role as an economics professor at Princeton. She’ll take over as president of Brookings in January and will succeed Amy Liu, who’s been serving as interim president since last July. — The venerated think tank found itself engulfed in scandal last year when court filings revealed that Allen, a four-star Marine general, was under federal investigation as part of a probe of an alleged illegal foreign lobbying campaign on behalf of Qatar, one of the institute’s top donors. The probe was dropped earlier this year without Allen, who denied any wrongdoing, facing any charges. — But the damage had already been done, with Allen stepping down and lawmakers from both parties hammering the think tank over its foreign funding and demanding new rules regarding disclosures of such financing for think tanks going forward. — “Dr. Rouse has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to public policy and education through her many years of dedicated public service and rigorous scholarship,” said Glenn Hutchins and Suzanne Nora Johnson, co-chairs of Brookings’ board of trustees, which must still approve Rouse’s appointment. Happy Wednesday and welcome to PI. Send K Street tips: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.
| | | | A message from All* Above All: What is abortion justice? Abortion justice means care is available to all in our communities without hurdles, shame, or judgment—and that everyone can get abortion care when they need it, without going broke. It means freedom to control our bodies, lives, and futures. It supports economic security and ensures our dignity, humanity, and freedom. Legal abortion is critical, but it takes more to ensure care is available to everyone who needs it—and that’s why we need bold solutions for lasting change. Learn more. | | | S-3 ADDS APPROPS VETERAN: Chanda Betourney has left the Hill after nearly two decades to bolster S-3 Group’s corps of appropriations specialists. Betourney was most recently chief counsel and deputy staff director for the Senate Appropriations Committee and its former Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who retired at the end of the last Congress. — In an interview, Betourney said that she expects she’ll register to lobby, though she’s subject to a one-year cooling off period. But she told PI that she’s eager to put her knowledge of the intricate appropriations process to use, adding that she was ready for a new challenge after the retirement of her former boss — for whom she’s worked since 1997 with the exception of a stint going to law school and working on government investigations and litigation. — At S-3 Group, she’ll advise clients on strategy, and despite hand wringing over how the current divided Congress will fund the government following this month’s debt limit deal, Betourney told PI she’s remaining optimistic the process is in good hands under the new leaders of Senate Approps — Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and ranking member Susan Collins (R-Maine). — “For the six or seven years that I was deputy staff director on the Appropriations Committee, it was always a challenge. There was never an easy year, and each had its unique challenges,” she argued. “How do we get it done at the end of the day? You thread that needle that can actually find support in both the Senate and the House, especially when it's divided control.” — Still, she added, “how it unfolds this year, I really think is anybody's guess.” Betourney isn’t the only seasoned appropriations hand at S-3 Group. Her new colleagues include Collins’ former chief of staff, Olivia Kurtz, as well as former House approps staffers Jennifer Holmes and Marty Delgado and the firm’s co-founder John Scofield. COMMS SHUFFLE AT CONSUMER BANKERS: Lauren Bianchi is set to depart the Consumer Bankers Association, where she’s served as senior vice president of public affairs and strategic initiatives, to join CBA member JPMorgan Chase as executive director of policy communications. Billy Rielly will become the new head of public affairs for CBA, while Roman Burleson will be the new head of creative and digital strategy. THINK TANK SETTLES PPP ALLEGATIONS: The Institute for Policy Studies has agreed to pay more than half a million dollars to settle charges that the progressive think tank misrepresented its eligibility for a second draw of the Paycheck Protection Program created to help keep small businesses afloat during the Covid pandemic, the Justice Department announced Tuesday. — In February 2021, according to the settlement agreement, IPS applied for — and later received — a second PPP loan in the amount of $481,000, despite new restrictions on applicants for a second loan through the $953 billion program, including a prohibition organizations “primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities, including any entity that is organized for research or for engaging in advocacy in areas such as public policy or political strategy or otherwise describes itself as a think tank in any public documents.” — Doing so required IPS to certify its eligibility under the program, despite describing itself online and in its corporate bylaws as an entity aiming to advance progressive policy in Washington. The Small Business Administration ultimately forgave both of the PPP loans IPS received through, along with interest accrued and lenders’ fees, according to the settlement agreement and ProPublica’s PPP loan tracker. — In a statement, the think tank argued that as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, IPS by law isn’t allowed to spend more than 15 percent of its time lobbying or otherwise primarily engaged in political activities. “In our case,” IPS said of its time spent lobbying, “it’s less than 1 percent. We interpreted our status as consistent with the restriction and applied in good faith based on that interpretation.” Per the settlement agreement, IPS will repay the second loan, including interest.
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | THE TIES THAT BIND: “As part of its push for a unity ticket presidential bid, the bipartisan group No Labels quietly employed a firm with ties to GOP candidates including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis,” our Jessica Piper reports. — “The firm, Blitz Canvassing, was paid a total of $107,000 by No Labels’ affiliated nonprofit entity, Insurance Policy for America, to help it gather signatures in Colorado, the first state where No Labels, which has floated the idea of an independent presidential unity ticket in 2024, qualified as a minor political party. This would allow it to field a presidential candidate in the state.” — “Tim Pollard, a partner at Blitz Canvassing, confirmed No Labels was a client last year but said the firm, which usually works with Republican candidates as well as on ballot initiatives, had declined opportunities to work with them going forward. ‘Colorado, like the country, is moving in the wrong direction. We’re eager for the election ahead,’ he said.” — “Still, the expenditures are likely to provide fodder to the group’s critics, who have accused it of having too many ties to Republicans and who fear a well-funded third party candidate could help re-elect former President Donald Trump. Though No Labels has floated Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) as a possible presidential candidate, its affiliated nonprofit has many donors who have given heavily to Republicans in the past.” SPOTTED on the rooftop of the S-3 townhouse at a reception for Shopify, per a tipster: Shopify merchants Dakota Jackson of District Heroines, Samantha Hays Gushner of The Phoenix, Mallory Shelter of Shelter and Becky Waddell of Take Care; Aaron Gottesman of Sen. Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) office, Zach Deatherage of Rep. Elise Stefanik’s (R-N.Y.) office, Rumer LeGendre of Rep. Nydia Velázquez’s (D-N.Y.) office, Michael DeFilippis of Rep. Nicole Malliotakis’ (R-N.Y.) office, Erik Kinney of Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), Ali Sternburg of Computer & Communications Industry Association, Jesse Von Stein of Rep. Jim Baird’s (R-Ind.) office, Sarah Young of Rep. Dave Joyce’s (R-Ohio) office, Conner Swanson of Rep. Kelly Armstrong’s (R-N.D.) office, Joel Richard of Invariant, Meghan Pearce of TechNet and Leigh Claffey, Jaclyn Neuman, Caroline Kitchens and Walt Kuhn of Shopify.
| | | | LISTEN TO POLITICO'S ENERGY PODCAST: Check out our daily five-minute brief on the latest energy and environmental politics and policy news. Don't miss out on the must-know stories, candid insights, and analysis from POLITICO's energy team. Listen today. | | | | | | | | | — Greg Schuckman has joined California State University as senior manager for federal agency relations. He was most recently assistant vice president for federal relations at the University of Central Florida. — Jen Armstrong has joined Waterways Council, Inc. as director of government relations. She was most recently director of navigation policy and legislation for the American Association of Port Authorities. — Simon Coon has joined Holland & Knight as a senior policy adviser, where he will advise defense contractors. He was most recently professional staff for the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. — David Tatel will join Hogan Lovells as senior counsel in September after he retires from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. — Jackie Siebens is joining Helion as its first director of public affairs. She most recently served as director of policy and external affairs at Oklo. — Gabby Reardon is now director of government affairs at Gap. She was previously senior manager of government affairs with the company. — Caroline Ponseti has joined the strategic communications and public affairs team at Invariant. She was most recently a senior director at The Herald Group and is an American Gaming Association and House Veterans’ Affairs Committee alum. — The National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals has selected Jessica Brooks-Woods as its next CEO. She'll officially succeed Janet Trautwein, who has led the organization for 26 years, on Sept. 1. Brooks-Woods is a co-founder of Executive Action and Response Network and EARN Staffing Solutions. — Leslie Foster has been promoted to vice president of health policy assessment at Mathematica. — Former DNI John Ratcliffe is joining The Heritage Foundation as a visiting fellow for national security, cybersecurity and intelligence. — Jack Magruder has been promoted to senior associate at The Herald Group. He was previously an associate at the firm. — Josh Handelman is launching Accelerate Political Advisors, a new fundraising and strategy firm. He previously was vice president of development for the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. — Hayley Alexander is now associate director of government affairs at pharmaceutical company Lundbeck. She most recently was senior manager for government affairs and public policy at BeiGene and is a Senate Approps alum.
| | | | A message from All* Above All:   | | | | | None.
| | Abolish Poverty PAC (PAC)
Bama First (Super PAC)
PATRIOT FREEDOM FEST PAC (Super PAC)
United for America, Inc (Hybrid PAC)
| | New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS | | Calportland Company: Calportland Company
Capella Space Corp. And Subsidiaries: Capella Space Corp. And Subsidiaries
Center For Law And Social Policy (Clasp): Center For Law And Social Policy (Clasp)
Grayrobinson Pa: Empire Strykers
Hoboken Strategy Group: Winning Strategies Washington (On Behalf Of Berkeley Heights, New Jersey)
Holland & Knight LLP: Bluebird Strategies
Holland & Knight LLP: Glide Foundation
Invariant LLC: Urban One, Inc. (Formerly Known As Radio One, Inc.)
Klarna Inc.: Klarna Inc.
Ms. Beverly Marshall: Nuclear Energy Institute
Squire Patton Boggs: National Thoroughbred Racing Association (Ntra)
Squire Patton Boggs: Ziroca Inc.
Subject Matter: Polygon Labs Services (Switzerland) Ag
Tck International, LLC: Dla Piper LLP (US) (For Capital Ship Management Corp.)
Thorn Run Partners: American Policy Ventures Action
Uptown Solutions LLC: Coalition Against Unjust Sentencing
| | New Lobbying Terminations | | Thorn Run Partners: Humanity Forward
Whitmer & Worrall, LLC: Makana Mask Inc.
| | | | A message from All* Above All: Our fundamental rights are at stake. We won’t settle for compromises or crumbs from politicians and the courts—it’s time for abortion justice.
Restoring legal abortion is critical—but it takes more to ensure people can get the care they need. It's time for bold solutions that ensure that anyone can get abortion care when they need it, without going broke and without barriers because of who we are or where we are from.
We need abortion justice NOW. Learn more and join us. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |  |
