LIV championship launches at Trump course

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Oct 28, 2022 View in browser   By Hailey Fuchs With Daniel Lippman SAUDI'S LIV TOURNAMENT KICKS OFF AT TRUMP COURSE: The Saudi-bankrolled LIV Golf opened its team championship on Friday at Trump National Doral in Florida. — Some of golf's best took to the course on Friday, while Kesha and Pitbull blared around the grounds. One spectator likened the events — a far more unbuttoned version of the traditional PGA Tour — to a "fair." Another described it as a "circus." Onlookers received free mullet haircuts, and DJ Tay James blasted tunes earlier in the day. The same course had once hosted the PGA Tour, as did Trump's Bedminster, N.J., course. PGA cut its ties with the former President after the riot at the Capitol in January 2021. — Although President Trump was absent from the day's events, Trump paraphernalia still dotted the crowd. On Thursday, Trump played in the tournament's Pro-Am, boasting after a swing : "Do you think Biden could do that? I don't think so." — Trump also criticized PGA for its handling of LIV Golf, according to Sports Illustrated , calling the people behind LIV "good people with unlimited money" and accusing the tour of dipping into its pension funds to boost prize money. PGA declined to comment on his remarks. — Elsewhere in Miami on Thursday, 9/11 Justice, a group of surviving family members of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack, called for LIV Golf and those associated with it to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. At a press conference, Dennis McGinley, who lost his brother to the attack, likened LIV to "Death Golf." — POLITICO reported earlier this month that the firm McKenna & Associates had been tasked with tracking the advocacy of the 9/11 families. For months, the group has been agitating against LIV Golf, pointing to concerns around connections between the terrorist attack and the Kingdom. When asked about POLITICO's reporting, Brett Eagleson, the group's president, responded, "Quite frankly, it's pretty scary that the Kingdom is following us and tracking us, as if we're the big bad wolves … Juliette's father and my father got blown away, but yet, we're the bad ones." — POLITICO has been denied press credentials this weekend. Asked why, LIV Golf said in a statement: "LIV Golf is a pro sports league and our event credentialing policy naturally prioritizes golf, sports, and local media. We regularly provide complimentary grounds passes to other media, even those who don't wish to cover golf." Hello, and happy Friday! My name is Hailey Fuchs , and I cover money and influence for Politico. I'm filling in for Caitlin today on PI. Caitlin will be back on Monday, but I'm always reachable at hfuchs@politico.com and Twitter @Hailey_Fuchs . Apologies for those who did not receive PI in your inbox yesterday due to technical difficulties. You can read Thursday's edition here .   NEW AND IMPROVED POLITICO APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. With a fresh look and improved features, 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, reimagined. Already a POLITICO app user? Upgrade today! DOWNLOAD FOR iOS  – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID .       DON'T MISS POLITICO'S 2nd ANNUAL DEFENSE SUMMIT ON 11/16: The United States is facing a defining moment in the future of its defense, national security and democratic ideals. The current conflicts and developments around the world are pushing Washington to reshape its defense strategy and how it cooperates with allies. Join POLITICO for our second annual defense summit, "At a Crossroads: America's Defense Strategy" on November 16 in person at the Schuyler DC or join online to hear keynote interviews and panels discussing the road ahead for America's national security. REGISTER HERE .     RAILROAD SAGA CONTINUES: 322 federal, state, and local trade associations are calling on President Joe Biden to continue to work with the railroad unions and railroads so that their tentative agreement is ratified. — In a letter addressed to Biden, the trade associations urged the administration to see the process to the finish line, explaining that the White House played a central role in the tentative agreement. Two unions have rejected that agreement, and the trade associations fear that others may follow suit. The letter's signatories include the American Petroleum Institute, the American Chemistry Council, and the United States Chamber of Commerce. — "We continue to urge that the contracts be ratified to provide stability and predictability to the system," the trade associations wrote. "Your involvement can only help make that happen and ensure there is no interruption to rail service." — A rail strike could begin as early as next month, unless Congress intervenes or 12 rail unions ratify their contracts, my POLITICO colleagues Eleanor Mueller and Tanya Snyder report. JUSTICE DEPT. WARNS OF BROIDY RULING: "A judge's ruling allowing a close ally of former President Donald Trump to obtain documents about Qatar's activities in the U.S. could endanger the safety of American diplomats abroad, a Justice Department attorney argued to a federal appeals court Friday," POLITICO's Josh Gerstein reports . — "That ruling, the Justice Department argued, could imperil U.S. diplomats by encouraging other countries to gain access to records held by security or building contractors for U.S. embassies." — "The warning about American diplomats overseas came as lawyers for former Republican National Committee deputy finance chair Elliott Broidy squared off with attorneys for Qatari agents in a suit Broidy filed to uncover details of how a large trove of his emails leaked to news outlets in 2018 as part of what he has claimed was an illegal "hack and smear" campaign." APCO TAPS NEW HEAD OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN D.C.: Obama campaign alum Ami Copeland joins APCO Worldwide as head of public affairs in Washington, the firm announced. — Copeland, previously executive vice president at Resolute Public Affairs, was deputy national finance director for Barack Obama's first presidential campaign. He has also worked for the campaigns of Sens. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), along with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. — "Today, more than ever, leaders from around the world seek to engage in Washington, D.C. with credibility and impact," Copeland said in the press release announcing his new position. "I am excited to join and help lead APCO's exceptional team in creating public affairs solutions for their clients' complex challenges and unique federal opportunities." — Copeland also earned the rank of First Sergeant in the Israeli Defense Forces and has been an investment banker and business journalist, according to the release. TUMULT AT BIO: "The leading industry group for biopharmaceutical companies is reeling after the departure of its CEO — just as the Biden administration is poised to begin implementing key drug pricing provisions and the balance of power could shift in Congress," POLITICO's Megan Wilson reports . — "Michelle McMurry-Heath stepped down earlier this month after leading the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, a 1,000-member trade group that lobbies for policies impacting biotechnology products made in the healthcare, agricultural and environmental sectors, for a little more than two years." — "McMurry-Heath, the group's third leader since its founding in 1993, faced headwinds shortly after taking the reins in mid-2020, including over how aggressive BIO should be on social and political issues that dominated the headlines but were outside the group's traditional interests, according to six people with knowledge of the group's inner workings." — "The turmoil at the industry group comes as Democrats are set to implement one of the most sweeping drug reform packages in the last decade and underscores the challenge of leading a large board with disparate policy goals and views about its mission." Jobs Report — Erin Kuhls, Lauren Moore and Mary Freiner are joining WilmerHale. Kuhls will be joining the public policy and legislative affairs practice and previously was a professional staff member for the Senate Intelligence Committee. Moore will be a partner; she previously was an associate White House counsel and is a Kamala Harris alum. Freiner will be a legislative assistant and previously worked for the Hispanic Federation. — Kyndall Rogers is now director of government relations at Delta Dental of Arkansas. She most recently was deputy chief of staff and deputy chief of legislative affairs at the Arkansas Department of Human Services. — Retired Gen. Gustave Perna will serve as chief operating officer of DEFCON AI, a startup that will bring artificial intelligence to defense logistics. Previously, Perna led Operation Warp Speed, the Covid vaccine delivery program and was commander of the Army Materiel Command. — Erin Earp and Stefan Turkheimer have been named the co-leads of RAINN's policy team. Earp most recently was senior legislative policy counsel at the group, while Turkheimer was director of state legislative affairs at the organization. — Zuraya Tapia-Hadley is now senior director of government relations at TelevisaUnivision. She was previously manager for external affairs and public policy at Meta Platforms, Inc.  —The National Pork Producers Council has appointed Kelly Cushman vice president of domestic policy. Cushman was previously vice president at ITG Brands, a tobacco company, and before that vice president at PhRMA. — Ian Magruder is now director of private sector outreach and engagement at Rewiring America. He most recently was director of partnerships at real estate startup Landed. — Craig Singer is joining Brunswick Group as a partner. He was also managing director in Goldman Sachs' Consumer and Wealth Management Division's Private Bank Select unit. New Joint Fundraisers None. New PACs Protecting Our Democracy (Super PAC) The Equity Alliance Fund Action PAC (Super PAC) New Lobbying Registrations Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Stenson Tamaddon LLC Spilman Thomas & Battle, Pllc: Centerline Action, Inc. RWE Renewables Americas, LLC: RWE Renewables Americas, LLC New Lobbying Terminations Velocity Government Relations, LLC: Questar Concepts, LLC   Follow us

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