| | | | |  | | By Caitlin Oprysko | | Presented by |  | | | With Daniel Lippman HANGING A SHINGLE: A pair of longtime corporate lobbyists, Jen Linker and Steve Forde, have launched their own lobbying shop, Second Curve Strategies. Linker and Forde met while working in Exxon Mobil’s D.C. office for roughly a decade. Linker left Exxon in December, while Forde had been working as an in-house lobbyist for agriculture conglomerate Archer-Daniels-Midland since 2023. — The two are hoping to capitalize on what they see as a dearth of “corporate creatures” on K Street, which comes with a unique set of considerations, Linker said in an interview. Companies need to speak to “multiple audiences, not just the Hill or the administration,” she noted. — “Washington is an audience and a very critical one, but companies are also operating across, let's say, different state jurisdictions and have different state rules and regulations. They might be operating globally,” while having to be cognizant of shareholders and investors, employees, industry peers, nonprofits and more, Linker added, requiring a more thoughtful approach to messaging than hired guns might realize. — The influence industry has begun to evolve more in that direction, toward “a more integrated approach to advocacy,” Forde told PI. But just as companies have begun to lobby on a broader set of intertwined policy issues, “the audiences are very interdependent upon one another, too.” FORMER TIM SCOTT CHIEF LANDS ON K STREET: Neri Martinez is joining the law and lobbying firm Becker as a senior government relations consultant based in D.C. Martinez was most recently chief of staff to Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) for two years before leaving his office in January. Before that, she served as Republican staff director under Scott on the Senate Special Committee on Aging. — Martinez also was a chief of staff in the Energy Department’s Office of Economic Impact and Diversity during the Trump administration and worked for the Republican State Leadership Committee. Martinez will register to lobby the House and executive branch until the expiration of her yearlong cooling-off period for lobbying the Senate, according to the firm. — Though Scott’s presidential campaign fizzled out last year, the senator’s name has been bandied about as a potential running mate for former President Donald Trump. In the event Trump were to pick someone else or lose the election in November, Scott would still be an influential figure on the Hill as the top Republican on the Senate Banking Committee — a standing that could further improve in the next Congress if Republicans, as many expect, flip the chamber and Scott becomes chair of the committee. Happy Monday and welcome to PI. If you can read this, we congratulate you for managing to avoid staring straight into the sun during the eclipse. Send lobbying tips and gossip: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.
| | | | A message from the Small Business Payments Alliance: THE DURBIN-MARSHALL CREDIT CARD BILL IS A WINDFALL FOR MEGA-STORES: Small business owners oppose the Durbin-Marshall Credit Card Bill because new credit card mandates would deliver billions of dollars to the 5 biggest mega-stores and cost $1 billion in lost rewards. Read the new study here: https://smallbusinesspaymentsalliance.com/2024/02/07/small-business-owners-oppose-durbin-marshall-windfall-for-mega-retailers/ | | | CORNERSTONE ADDS EMMER AIDE: Cornerstone Government Affairs has hired David Planning, who most recently served as floor director to House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and is an alum of Trump’s team of liaisons to the Hill. Planning is set to join the firm later this month, and plans on registering to lobby, a spokesperson told PI. — He has ties to other current and former members of House Republican leadership, having worked for Emmer’s predecessor as whip and current House Majority Leader Steve Scalise; former Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.); and former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) over the years. — Planning has “invaluable relationships and experience at the highest levels of government, and his insatiable appetite for success makes him the best in the business,” Emmer said in a statement provided by Cornerstone. Emmer also praised Planning’s “in-depth knowledge of floor procedure and sharp political acumen,” which are undoubtedly in high demand in a Congress where the absence, retirement or opposition of virtually any member from either party could make or break a vote. ANNALS OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE: “Super PACs keep pushing the boundaries of campaign finance law this cycle,” our Jessica Piper writes, “using novel financial arrangements, like taking ‘bridge funding’ in the form of undisclosed de facto loans from major donors or receiving ad revenue from a candidate’s podcast. They’re also continuing to take advantage of longstanding loopholes in anti-coordination guidelines.” — “The willingness to push the boundaries suggests that U.S. politics has entered the Wild West campaign financing system that many observers predicted would come in the wake of the court’s weakening campaign finance laws.” — “It comes as super PACs are taking a more prominent role in campaigning,” bringing with them new financing and fundraising tactics. “Total spending on independent expenditures so far this cycle is nearly 2.5 times what it was at this point in 2020. And because candidates are having more and more trouble with small-dollar fundraising, super PAC money could be even more important as the cycle continues.” MAKE OR BREAK TIME FOR TAX BILL: “The CEOs are calling. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) has heard from nearly a half dozen of them, some, he says, from companies whose names you’d recognize. They’re urging him to back a nearly $80 billion tax package, half of which would benefit businesses, which was overwhelmingly approved by the House but is now on the brink of failure in the Senate. Tillis’ response: Sorry,” our Brian Faler writes. — “It wasn’t that long ago when corporate America could move Republicans on taxes with seemingly a single word: Jobs. Not anymore. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable, the National Association of Manufacturers and scads of other business groups are going all-out to get the tax plan through the Senate. So far, they don’t have much to show for it.” — “Though businesses warn failure could force them to shed employees; though the plan includes perhaps the single-most popular business break in the code, for research expenses; and though Democrats would happily forward it on to President Joe Biden — Senate Republicans appear poised to kill it” because of provisions to expand the child tax credit. “That has come as a shock to many in the business community and underscores its waning influence in the increasingly populist-minded Republican party.” J STREET’S JUNCTURE: “Over the last five years, the Jewish political advocacy group J Street reached new heights of influence,” per The New York Times’ Marc Tracy, from hosting five of the Democratic presidential contenders in 2019 to marking its best year of fundraising in 2022. — “With the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC increasingly identified with the right, J Street appealed to many American Jews as reasonably moderate: Standing by a democratic Israel, opposing the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and supporting the coexistence of Palestinians and Israelis in two states.” — “Then came Oct. 7. For months after the Hamas attack on Israel, J Street did not call for a cease-fire. In late January, it backed a ‘stop to the fighting,’ humanitarian aid for Palestinians and an end to Hamas control of the region. Just last month, an internal J Street email said the organization would use the word ‘cease-fire’ — and it clarified that this was a semantic step and not a change in policy.” — Founder and President Jeremy Ben-Ami told the Times “that J Street backs the Biden administration, which warned American aid would depend on Israel’s treatment of civilians, and supports a negotiated cease-fire. But the war has raised serious concerns within J Street’s ranks about its ability to hold that middle position without being pulled apart by forces on the right and the left.”
| | | | Access New York bill updates and Congressional activity in areas that matter to you, and use our exclusive insights to see what’s on the Albany agenda. Learn more. | | | | | | | | | — Angela Flood is joining the Invest in Education Coalition as president and CEO. She most recently founded the public affairs firm AKF Strategies. — Elizabeth Coit joined AxAdvocacy as senior vice president of public affairs. Coit was most recently vice president and national political director at the American Bankers Association. — Greta Peisch and Diana Shaw are joining Wiley Rein as partners. Peisch most recently was general counsel for the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Shaw most recently was acting inspector general for the State Department. — Elise LaFleur Rabalais is now an associate with Harris, DeVille, and Associates. She most recently was a legislative correspondent for Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and is a Steve Scalise alum. — Kathy Vanderhook-Gomez is joining Hogan Lovells as a partner in the global regulatory and intellectual property, media and technology practice. She previously was director and assistant general counsel in the enterprise risk management group at 3M Company. — Estefanía Palomino is now senior manager for philanthropic relations at the United Nations Global Compact. She most recently was a director at the Aspen Institute. — Jenna Valle-Riestra is joining Coinbase's corporate communications team. She most recently was spokesperson for domestic finance, consumer protection and financial inclusivity issues at the Treasury Department and is a Senate Judiciary Committee, Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.) alum. — Bennett Richardson is joining Semafor as general manager and global head of public affairs. He previously was director of policy marketing at Google and is a POLITICO alum. — Courtney Clawson is now a publicist for NBC News’ PR team. She previously was a public relations coordinator at the Washington Post. — Brian Knapp is joining ABB as senior director of U.S. government relations and public affairs. He previously was at Meta, where he worked in the product strategy group. — Taylor Bradley is now communications director for Rep. Tracey Mann (R-Kan.). She previously was with Prosek Partners and is a James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) alum. — Hanz Heinrichs, former senior policy and appropriations director for Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), has joined Epirus as vice president of government relations. — The Roosevelt Institute has hired Elly Kugler as managing director for government relations and Hannah Groch-Begley to serve as the director of its think tank.
| | | | A message from the Small Business Payments Alliance:   | | | | | None.
| | Alliance for Black Equality (Super PAC) Center Forward Initiative Inc (Super PAC) The Court of Divine Justice (Super PAC) Don't Stop Get It Get It Super Pac (Super PAC) Gavel PAC (Super PAC) Renew the Two (PAC) SeeThruPAC (PAC) Silver Spring Progressive Action (PAC) TOGETHER! (Hybrid PAC) True Patriots PA (Super PAC) United Civic Engagement Forum (PAC)
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, the newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world, including WEF in Davos, Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to UNGA in NYC and many more. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | | | | New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS | | | Ben Barnes Group Lp: Clene Nanomedicine, Inc. Ben Barnes Group Lp: Integrity Maketing Group Boundary Stone Partners: 280 Earth Chimes International: Chimes International Dla Piper LLP (US): Soelect Inc. Fgs Global (US) LLC (Fka Fgh Holdings LLC): Visionrng LLC Grayrobinson Pa: Independent Bulk Broadband Providers Coalition (Informal Coalition) K&L Gates, LLP: Center For Climate And Energy Solution, Inc. Liberty Partners Group, LLC: Coalition For Oral Health Policy Lincoln Policy Group: Randolph College Mindset Advocacy, LLC (Fka Cypress Advocacy, LLC): Willis Towers Watson (Wtw) Squire Patton Boggs: Virgin Islands Public Finance Authority (Vipfa) The Bridge Advisory Group: Information Systems Labroratories The Normandy Group, LLC: Sea Research Foundation Thorn Run Partners: Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Vitello Consulting: Maxsip Telecom On Behlaf Of Stonington Global
| | New Lobbying Terminations | | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Advanced Drainage Systems Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Federated Wireless, Inc. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Proponents Of Affordable Housing, Inc. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Signature Flight Support Corporation Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Surgery Partners Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Texas Southern University Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Vallourec USa Corporation Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Xenex Disinfection Services, LLC Ben Barnes Group Lp: Faradyne Ben Barnes Group Lp: Yuri Star Bernstein Strategy Group: National Association Of Federally Impacted Schools C. Annand LLC: Biomass Power Association Forbes-Tate: Genovac, LLC Forbes-Tate: U.S. Anesthesia Partners, Inc. Hannegan Landau Poersch & Rosenbaum Advocacy, LLC: Protecting Progressive Values, Inc. James Edwards: Centripetal Networks, Inc. Laura Wood Peterson Consulting, Inc.: Gwc Public Affairs LLC On Behalf Of Western Landowners Alliance Mcdermott+Consulting LLC: American Diabetes Association Mike Hooks, LLC: Mike Hooks, LLC Ogr: Alliance For Automotive Innovation The O Team LLC: Nissen Consulting Group On Behalf Of The Lundquist Institute Thorn Run Partners: Harmony Biosciences
| | | | A message from the Small Business Payments Alliance: SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS OPPOSE DURBIN-MARSHALL WINDFALL FOR MEGA RETAILERS: A new report reveals that the Durbin-Marshall Credit Card Bill would “disproportionately benefit the top five businesses in the U.S.” and that any proposed changes to the payment routing system “is demonstrably a favor to large—not small business.” The report, “Imposing Alternative Payment Networks on Credit Cards Will Likely Hurt Low Income Households and Small Merchants,” from the Chair of the Finance Department at the University of Miami’s Herbert Business School, found that: “The intent of the proposed Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA) is to reduce routing fees for credit card transactions to save merchants–and hence consumers–money. However, this analysis suggests that almost all of those savings will accrue to retailers with $500 million or more in annual sales, with little going to small businesses. Learn more: https://smallbusinesspaymentsalliance.com/2024/02/07/small-business-owners-oppose-durbin-marshall-windfall-for-mega-retailers/ | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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