School choice group goes on the air to squeeze GOP 2024 candidates

From: POLITICO Influence - Tuesday Aug 15,2023 09:27 pm
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By Caitlin Oprysko

With Daniel Lippman

FIRST IN PI — SCHOOL CHOICE GROUP TARGETS GOP DEBATE: School choice nonprofit Invest in Education Coalition is taking to the airwaves in Wisconsin to press Republican presidential candidates on the issue ahead of next week’s primary debate in Milwaukee.

— The group, which is bankrolled by GOP megadonor, hedge fund manager and school choice advocate Anthony de Nicola and counts former Rep. Luke Messer (R-Ind.) as a top adviser, will drop six figures on TV ads that will air in Milwaukee beginning tomorrow that call on the White House hopefuls to prioritize the issue of school choice in general, but also to throw their support behind federal school choice legislation.

— “Here's a message every Republican presidential candidate should embrace: Parents deserve a choice in education,” the ad says, flashing images of several candidates. The spot points to school closures during the pandemic, accusing teachers' unions and government officials who backed the closures of “leaving too many kids behind.”

— It goes on to tout the Educational Choice for Children Act, which has more than 140 Republican co-sponsors across both chambers of Congress and would provide $10 billion in tax credits — up to $5,000 or 10 percent of an individual’s income. In addition to the bill’s congressional GOP support, the proposal has also been backed by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, the conservative American Federation for Children and Heritage Action.

— “Now more than ever, empowering parents to ensure their children are getting the best education possible should be a top priority,” de Nicola said in a statement. “This scholarship tax credit will expand education freedom and opportunity for up to two million low- and middle-income students throughout the nation.”

Happy Tuesday and welcome to PI. Send tips: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on the platform formerly known as Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.

 

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ENERGY COMPANIES, CRYPTO MINERS TEAM UP: A former Energy Department official is pulling together a new coalition of companies from the energy, technology and digital asset sectors to launch a trade group focused on shaping digital asset policy through an energy lens.

— The Digital Energy Council is being led by Tom Mapes, a former Hill aide who eventually became chief of staff in DOE’s Office of International Affairs. He was most recently with the Chamber of Digital Commerce, where he served as the crypto trade group’s director of energy policy.

— “Policymaking efforts regarding digital assets have centered around financial services,” Mapes said in a statement, arguing that “the focus on how both the digital asset mining and energy industries can collaborate and work together to bolster energy infrastructure, increase resilience, and support energy sustainability and efficiency has been lost in policy conversations, yet is critical during this pivotal moment of energy modernization.”

— Part of DEC’s mission will be to facilitate introductions on the Hill, educating lawmakers and dispelling what it says is misinformation about crypto mining’s environmental impacts and demands, especially with a greater federal policy focus on energy infrastructure and building out grid resilience.

— The association isn’t sharing the names of its members just yet, but it is launching with support from a pair of key voices on energy and crypto policy on the Hill: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) noted in a statement provided by the group that she'd held one of the first hearings "to explore digital asset mining and the applications and potential impacts on our nation’s energy supply” back in 2018 and looked forward to working with DEC.

— “It’s important that energy and digital asset mining communities, both key stakeholders in our nation’s grid, have a real voice at the federal level, to support thoughtful and informed public policy,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), one of the chamber’s most ardent crypto backers, said in a statement, pointing to the passage over the past two years of the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the Democratic Inflation Reduction Act.

SHOWTIME FOR LAB-GROWN MEAT LOBBY: “A sesame seed bun packed with lettuce, tomato, onion and a patty grown in a lab with Washington’s help. This is the future of American food, according to a nascent industry that’s firing up a network of lobbyists, trade groups and new campaign spending with an eye towards the 2023 farm bill,” POLITICO’s Marcia Brown writes.

— “The companies, whose cultivated chicken is now on the menu at restaurants in D.C. and San Francisco, say venture capital money won’t be enough. Now, well before it’s clear whether Americans want to give up traditional hamburgers, they’re jumping into Washington’s influence ecosystem and pressing Congress to expand their access to public financing from the Agriculture Department.”

— “The farm bill only comes around every five years, so the last time Congress negotiated one, lab-grown meat — and the messaging game around it — was still in its infancy. Lobbying records show only two organizations in the space hired K Street firms in 2018.”

— “That’s turned around in the past three years: A handful of the most prominent companies formalized a trade group at the end of last year, the Association for Meat, Poultry and Seafood Innovation. A nonprofit, Food Solutions Action, has sprung up to woo lawmakers with campaign donations and experienced lobbyists meant to help usher lab-grown and plant-based products through regulatory hoops and secure taxpayer support.”

— “That coalition, as well as five other companies and advocacy groups involved with cultivated meat, have registered to lobby since 2018, disclosures show, spending at least a collective $3.7 million since 2021. It’s still a fraction of what food giants like Tyson Foods — which spent more than $1 million in the first half of 2023 — or Cargill spend on lobbying in a given year. Still, it reflects an emerging industry’s first real bid to influence federal ag policy.”

CONSERVATIVE GROUP MOVES TO SQUEEZE RIGHT ON UKRAINE AID: “In response to the growing fissure within the GOP over support for the war effort in Ukraine, a conservative group is launching a $2 million campaign urging Republicans in Congress to continue backing the U.S. ally,” per The Washington Post’s Mariana Alfaro.

— “Defending Democracy Together, an organization led by Republican strategist Sarah Longwell and conservative political commentator Bill Kristol, is launching ‘Republicans for Ukraine’ to get congressional Republicans to commit to continue funding aid for Ukraine ahead of what is likely to be a lengthy appropriations fight.”

— “The organization gathered testimony from more than 50 pro-Ukraine Republican voters, which will be shared in an ad campaign that will air starting Tuesday until the end of the year. The advertisements will appear online, on billboards and on nationwide television, including during the first GOP presidential debate on Aug. 23 in Milwaukee, which Fox News will broadcast.”

PI REAL ESTATE CORNER: Public affairs firm LSG, formerly known as Locust Street Group, has inked a long-term 21,500-square-foot lease for a new office space in downtown D.C.’s historic Herald building, a move that comes as the firm has doubled its ranks over the past two years.

— Since 2021, LSG has expanded from 25 staffers to more than 50 and signed a long-term lease to open an office in Houston in addition to its footprint in Denver and New York. LSG is set to move from its current 4,500-square-foot office in Dupont Circle into the new space sometime next year. Its neighbors in the new building will include the lobbying and public affairs firm FS Vector as well as the GOP law and lobbying firm CGCN and Scott Circle Communications.

Jobs Report

Bill Meierling is joining the National Automatic Merchandising Association as senior vice president of external affairs. He was most recently vice president of strategic communications and marketing at the International Franchise Association.

Alex Stroman has been named senior director of state government relations at Albemarle Corporation. He previously served as the director of state government, Indigenous, and community relations at TC Energy and is an RNC, South Carolina GOP and Trump inaugural committee alum.

Kevin Welsh is joining Airlines for America as vice president of environment and chief sustainability officer. He was previously the executive director of FAA’s Office of Environment and Energy, and before that was the director for climate and environment at the National Security Council in the White House.

Di Reimold is joining the Aerospace Industries Association as vice president of civil aviation. Reimold previously served as deputy vice president of flight program operations at the FAA.

Moiya McTier has joined the Human Artistry Campaign with the title of explainer-in-chief. She will educate lawmakers on the Hill, the press, the creative ecosystem and the public on the issues and implications for innovation and culture posed by artificial intelligence.

Matt Harney is now executive director of the American Association of Settlement Consultants. He previously was executive director of the Ohio Osteopathic Association and president of the Ohio Osteopathic Foundation.

Erick Sanchez is joining Starts With Us as director of public relations and integrated comms. He previously was principal at Quixotic LLC and is an Andrew Yang and Tim Ryan alum.

USTelecom | The Broadband Association has hired Alanna Chapell as director of government affairs. Chapell previously was a legislative assistant for Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) and is a Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) alum.

Taylor Gehrcke is now director of events at The Messenger, leading logistics and operations for D.C.-based events. He most recently was director of events with the United Nations Foundation.

Alana Mounce will be ballot access director for the Biden-Harris reelection campaign, and Varoon Modak will be senior counsel for ballot access. Mounce previously was deputy political director in the office of political strategy and outreach at the White House. Modak was previously counsel at Elias Law Group.

New Joint Fundraisers

None.

New PACs

New York Life Insurance Company State & Federal PAC (PAC)
Support Local Police (PAC)
We The People 4 Trump (Hybrid PAC)

New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS

Center For Climate And Energy Solutions (Formerly The Pew Center On Global Climate Change): Center For Climate And Energy Solutions (Formerly The Pew Center On Global Climate Change)
Chamber Hill Strategies: The Committee For The Protection Of Online Consumer Data
Consilium Consulting: Creighton University
Consilium Consulting: Yuma Regional Medical Center
Crowell & Moring LLP: Invenergy LLC
Dentons US LLP: Cobb County, Georgia
Edgepoint, LLC: Anderson University
Guide Consulting Services, Inc.: Depression And Bipolar Support Alliance
Holland & Knight LLP: Macquarie Asset Management
Holland & Knight LLP: Ul LLC D/B/A Ul Solutions
Huxley Rock LLC: Govbiz, Advantage, Inc. (For Radia)
K&L Gates, LLP: City Of South Sioux City, Nebraska
Monument Advocacy: Maxeon Solar Technologies Ltd.
Mrs. Garen Fowler: Secular Strategies On Behalf Of Ex-Muslims Of North America
O'Neil Bradley Consulting LLC: Renew Financial Group
Sidley Austin LLP: Hindalco Industries Ltd.
Subject Matter: Pim Brands, Inc.
The Washington Tax & Public Policy Group (Formerly The Washington Tax Group): Kenvue Inc.
Tonio Burgos & Associates, Inc.: Nysarc, Inc. New York City Chapter (Dba Ahrc Nyc)
Van Scoyoc Associates: Mach Industries

New Lobbying Terminations

Arena Strategies, LLC: Pbf Holding Company LLC
Noridian Mutual Insurance Company: Noridian Mutual Insurance Company
Pendulum Strategies, LLC: Aleka Capital, Incorporated
Vision Americas LLC: Brownsville Self-Storage Owner, LLC

 

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