| | | | |  | | By Caitlin Oprysko | With help from Daniel Lippman FARA FRIDAY: As federal investigators probed whether Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) illegally accepted bribes to act in the Egyptian government’s benefit, the former chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee used that perch to block legislation that would have narrowed a FARA exemption frequently derided by critics as a loophole in the law. — The PAID OFF Act would block lobbyists representing clients in countries deemed “foreign adversaries” from claiming FARA’s commerce and Lobbying Disclosure Act exemptions, the latter of which allows lobbyists for foreign clients to register under the more opaque domestic lobbying law. — It was first introduced last Congress by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Jim Risch (R-Okla.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and the lawmakers reintroduced it this year. — Cornyn pushed to have the bill included in this year’s NDAA, which would have required clearance from the chairs and ranking members of two committees of jurisdiction, the Judiciary and Foreign Relations panels. According to a Senate GOP aide, Menendez was the only committee leader in either party that declined to sign off on it, and he has also blocked the bill from being passed on the floor by unanimous consent. — Menendez objected to its inclusion in the NDAA because it hadn’t gone through the regular committee process, a spokesperson for the senator told PI. The spokesperson added that Menendez “planned to work on broader FARA reform” through his committee. — A partially redacted email from July obtained by PI appears to show that a committee staffer recommended Menendez’s objection for the same reasons — despite having signed off on including the same bill in last year’s NDAA. — According to the email, the Justice Department, which months earlier endorsed repealing the LDA exemption for the first time, had suggested other edits in addition to warning against the bill’s country-specific approach. — While narrower than a more comprehensive FARA reform package Menendez blocked in 2020, the moves have taken on a new light after prosecutors charged the senator with illegally acting as a foreign agent in an updated indictment yesterday. Menendez pleaded not guilty to initial corruption charges, and has denied the newest one. — “Senator Menendez’s decision to repeatedly block our bill is concerning especially if the allegations that he worked as a foreign agent are true,” Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), the PAID OFF Act’s lead sponsor in the House, said in a statement. “Every Member of Congress should have no problem supporting this legislation that strengthens U.S. national security.” — While Menendez has long talked up the need for reexamining and strengthening FARA broadly amid ramped-up enforcement by DOJ, nothing comprehensive has ever materialized. According to Menendez’s office, “there were conversations among interested offices over the summer” on the issue of FARA reform, but a spokesperson did not respond to follow-ups about which offices were included in those talks. — A Grassley spokesperson told PI that his office had been in touch with Menendez’s staff this summer about the potential inclusion of a different, narrow FARA fix in the NDAA, as far as a larger overhaul goes, Menendez’s office “has yet to provide any substantive feedback or collaboration on the FARA legislation, despite repeated overtures,” Grassley’s spokesperson said. Happy Friday the 13th and welcome to PI, where we hope you’re being careful around ladders, mirrors and umbrellas — we’re not sure Washington can handle much more bad luck. Send your superstitions and K Street gossip: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.
| | | | DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO APP: Stay in the know with the POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID. | | | | | THE TECH MONEY FUNDING KEY AI POLICY WONKS: “An organization backed by Silicon Valley billionaires and tied to leading artificial intelligence firms is funding the salaries of more than a dozen AI fellows in key congressional offices, across federal agencies and at influential think tanks,” our Brendan Bordelon reports. — “The fellows funded by Open Philanthropy, which is financed primarily by billionaire Facebook co-founder and Asana CEO Dustin Moskovitz and his wife Cari Tuna, are already involved in negotiations that will shape Capitol Hill’s accelerating plans to regulate AI.” — “And they’re closely tied to a powerful influence network that’s pushing Washington to focus on the technology’s long-term risks — a focus critics fear will divert Congress from more immediate rules that would tie the hands of tech firms.” — “Acting through the little-known Horizon Institute for Public Service, a nonprofit that Open Philanthropy effectively created in 2022, the group is funding the salaries of tech fellows in key Senate offices, according to documents and interviews.” — “Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s top three lieutenants on AI legislation — Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) — each have a Horizon fellow working on AI or biosecurity, a closely related issue. The office of Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a powerful member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who recently unveiled plans for an AI licensing regime, includes a Horizon AI fellow who worked at OpenAI immediately before coming to Congress, according to his bio on Horizon’s web site.” — “Current and former Horizon AI fellows with salaries funded by Open Philanthropy are now working at the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, as well as in the House Science Committee and Senate Commerce Committee … They also populate key think tanks shaping AI policy, including the RAND Corporation and Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, according to the Horizon website.” CRYPTO’S LATEST HEADACHE: “Washington’s cryptocurrency lobby is scrambling to contain a Hamas problem that’s about to become an Elizabeth Warren problem,” POLITICO’s Jasper Goodman writes. — “Last week’s massacre in Israel has painted a big target on crypto, thanks to reports that militant groups including Hamas recently received financing via digital currencies. It comes as the industry is already trying to bat down daily headlines from the fraud trial of former crypto magnate Sam Bankman-Fried.” — “Capitol Hill scrutiny is about to ramp up. Senate Banking Chair Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) — one of the industry’s fiercest critics — is vowing to use his committee to examine the role crypto played in the Israel attacks. The Hamas connection is also giving fresh momentum to a push by Warren to pass a bill that would impose new anti-money laundering rules on crypto — an increasingly bipartisan effort that digital asset firms have tried to quash.” — “While crypto’s use by Israel’s attackers is still being understood, the linkage is shaping up to be the latest in a series of political liabilities incurred since last year’s market meltdown and arrest of Bankman-Fried,” and crypto backers are rushing to get ahead of the controversy, which comes with the House on the brink of passing industry-supported legislation. NEW BUSINESS: The Recording Industry Association of America has picked up Salt Point Strategies, the firm founded by former NTIA Administrator David Redl, according to overdue disclosures filed this week. — Salt Point began working for the music lobby back in March, and those on the account include Redl, Jared Weaver, a former deputy chief to House Energy & Commerce member Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), and Jerry Leverich, another former Eshoo aide and former counsel for the E&C telecom subcommittee. — PayPal added to its cast of outside lobbyists as well, retaining Franklin Square Group last month to lobby on mobile payment, cybersecurity and small-business lending issues. The firm will also work on tax issues, including PayPal and other online marketplace and payment processors’ fight against new 1099-K reporting requirements included in President Joe Biden’s first Covid relief bill.
ANNALS OF FUNDRAISING: “The messy race to elect the next Republican speaker of the House of Representatives is injecting chaos into the typically genteel world of high-dollar GOP fundraising, threatening to disrupt a vital element of the Republican strategy to maintain its House majority,” per CNBC’s Brian Schwartz.
— “One faction of wealthy donors is intent on exacting revenge on the eight Republicans who voted with Democrats to oust former speaker Kevin McCarthy, according to people familiar with the matter,” while another “group of financiers want to take on Republicans who opposed the top candidate to replace McCarthy, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, these people explained.” — “‘If you have scheduled a fundraiser for any Republican House member who refuses to vote for Scalise, cancel it. If you are thinking of donating, don’t,’ wrote attorney and GOP donor Eric Levine Thursday to his email list of approximately 1,500 people before Scalise dropped out.” — “The head of the litigation and bankruptcy department at Eiseman Levine, a New York firm, Levine told CNBC those who responded agreed to hold off on raising money for lawmakers who had opposed Scalise.”
| | — Soledad Cedro is now communications director for immigration for Stand Together. She most recently was communications director for Francis Suarez’s presidential campaign and for the mayor of city of Miami. — Miro Korenha is joining the Wildlife Conservation Society as executive director of executive communication. She previously was a senior comms adviser and speechwriter to the NOAA administrator. — Neal Denton is leaving YMCA of the USA next month after leading its government relations office for 11 years. — Casey Enders is now consultant for strategic partnerships and initiatives at Pivotal Ventures. She most recently was lead strategist of an independent management consultancy. — Shalini Avasarala is joining Weber Shandwick as manager of client experience/media relations, Huddle reports. She previously was press secretary for Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.). — Elliott Guffin is now director of federal affairs for Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, per Huddle. He previously was chief of staff for Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.).
| | | None.
| | Committee to Elect RD Delegates - IL (PAC) Red America First Inc. (PAC) SAVE OUR DREAM PAC (Super PAC)
| | New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS | | Actum I, LLC: The Florida International University Board Of Trustees Allegiance Strategies, LLC: American Security Fund Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz /The Daschle Group: Freedom For All Americans Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz /The Daschle Group: Valneva USa, Inc. Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz /The Daschle Group: Youth America Grand Prix (Yagp) Ben Barnes Group Lp: Faradyne Cassidy & Associates, Inc.: Crowley Maritime Colon Government Affairs, LLC: Humane Society Legislative Fund Commonwealth Strategic Partners, LLC: Granite Construction Company Commonwealth Strategic Partners, LLC: Volvo Group North America Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Great City Mississippi Foundation Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Rank One Computing Corporation Corrigan & USsery LLC: Ssk Military Industries, Inc. Electronic Payments Coalition Inc.: Electronic Payments Coalition Inc. Foley & Lardner LLP: Philadelphia Soccer 2026 Franklin Square Group, LLC: Linde Inc. Franklin Square Group, LLC: Paypal, Inc. G2G Consulting: Breast Cancer Ruckus G2G Consulting: Healthywomen Hogan Lovells US LLP: Inhance Technologies LLC Hogan Lovells US LLP: Merlin Labs Hollier & Associates: National Wildlife Federation K&L Gates, LLP: Connectfree Corporation Kma Zuckert LLC: Ksat Inc. Mccarthy Strategic Solutions: National Stem Cell Foundation Mcdermott+Consulting LLC: National Council On Aging O’Brien, Gentry & Scott, LLC: Air Company O’Brien, Gentry & Scott, LLC: Bears-LLC O’Brien, Gentry & Scott, LLC: Snowbird Technologies The Bridge Advisory Group: Fixed Asset Consulting The Bridge Advisory Group: Vadum Inc. Velos (Formerly Pinnacle Engineering And Management Solutions): Tss Solutions View, Inc.: View, Inc. Zarrelli Strategies, Inc.: Community Of Unity
| | New Lobbying Terminations | | A1.9 Strategies LLC: Semplastics LLC Adams And Reese, LLP: Louisiana Credit Union League Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP: University Of Redlands Covington & Burling LLP: Advent International Corporation Covington & Burling LLP: Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. Covington & Burling LLP: Sl 2T, LLC (“Smartlabs”) Fluor Corporation: Fluor Corporation G2G Consulting: My Project USa G2G Consulting: Patchrx Holland & Knight LLP: Navajo Nation Invariant LLC: Health Catalyst, Inc. Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP: Yellow Corporation Masiello, Martucci & Associates: Coal Ash Recycling Mcallister & Quinn, LLC: Hope Network Foundation Mccain Foods USa Inc.: Mccain Foods USa Inc. Mcguirewoods Consulting (A Subsidiary Of Mcguirewoods LLP): Jefferson Place, LLC Mehlman Consulting, Inc.: Health Carousel LLC Mr. Mark Kopec: Project Support Services New Century Government Affairs (F/K/A Terrence C. Wolfe): Keiser University New Century Government Affairs (F/K/A Terrence C. Wolfe): Southeastern College Velos (Formerly Pinnacle Engineering And Management Solutions): Vox Space, LLC Webster, Chamberlain & Bean, LLP: National Association Of Therapeutic Schools And Programs
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