The lower-profile races where K Street is writing checks

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Oct 31, 2022 View in browser   By Caitlin Oprysko With Daniel Lippman WHO (ELSE) IS GETTING K STREET'S LAST-MINUTE CASH: As voters prepare to go to the polls next week, donors are still pouring money into races in the campaign to control Congress. Lobbyists are among those giving, of course, but K Street denizens have also continued to open their wallets in the final weeks of the midterms in lower profile races — several of which PI is highlighting today. — California Rep. Ken Calvert , the top Republican in the House in charge of defense spending who's facing a tough reelection, has in particular raked in big donations from lobbyists and executives working for various players across the defense industry, which has historically been one of his campaigns' top benefactors. — Jason Schmid, the top lobbyist at artificial intelligence start-up Scale AI, kicked in $2,900 last week. Christian Brose, the chief strategy officer at Anduril Industries, maxed out to Calvert earlier this month as well, while General Dynamics director of government relations Betsy Schmid chipped in $2,000. Executives at Humvee maker AM General, including CEO Jim Cannon, have written Calvert checks totalling $14,500 this month, filings show. — Other K Streeters who gave to Calvert this month include Cornerstone Government Affairs' Will Smith, whose clients include defense, telecom and aerospace companies; McGuireWoods' Rob Wasinger, Lockheed Martin's Paul Juola, Cassidy & Associates' Sarah Young Glackin, GE Aviation's Pete Giambastiani and Northrop Grumman's Bobby Lentz. — Meanwhile Erskine Wells of BGR Group, his wife Loren Wells of Amgen, Adrielle Churchill Wiese of SMI and executives Ryan Salame of FTX and Safra Catz of Oracle all gave to Calvert's fellow House appropriator Steve Womack (R-Ark.). — Others who've brought in four-figure checks from lobbyists this month include Long Beach, Calif., Mayor Robert Garcia, who got the maximum of $2,900 from Roberti Global's Vincent Roberti; Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.), who received $1,000 from Ameriprise Financial's Elizabeth Varley and Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), who received $1,500 from consultant Hilary Kapner via AIPAC. Happy Halloween and welcome to PI. Send lobbying and K Street tips, as well as any lobbying-adjacent Halloween costumes you've spotted out there (hey, it's D.C. — it could happen): coprysko@politico.com . And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko .   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 .     UKRAINE PREPARES FOR GOP TO HOLD THE PURSE STRINGS: " Ukrainian officials are warning Republicans who may soon take control in Congress: Defeating Russia means providing not just weapons, but more money for Ukraine's economy as well," POLITICO's Alex Ward and Nahal Toosi write.   — "Ukrainian leaders believe that, despite dissident notes from some on the far right, a fully or partially GOP-led Congress won't skimp on giving Kyiv military aid. In fact, Ukraine expects 'even more robust' weapons packages if Republicans are in charge, said Daniel Vajdich, a lobbyist in touch with Ukrainian officials. "The Ukrainians are more concerned about Republicans paring back future economic aid to their country." — "Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his aides know 'there may be some different challenges than existed before' in a post-midterm world," said Vajdich, himself a former aide to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). "'There's a recognition in Kyiv that they're going to have to work with Republicans to help them understand that support for Ukraine can't just be about guns.' … It's a message lawmakers are hearing directly from Ukrainian officials and through their representatives in Washington." — "Funding for Ukraine drew new attention after House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy , the potential next House speaker, recently said there would be no 'blank check ' for Kyiv if the GOP wins." Still, "a senior administration official said the Biden team wasn't worried about support for Ukraine dropping should Republicans take either or both chambers of Congress," telling Alex and Nahal "the administration also expects a majority of Republican House members to force McCarthy to stay the course." TECH TRIES A NEW APPROACH IN IMMIGRATION PUSH: Tech leaders "have revved up a push for Congress to pass immigration changes before the end of the year, with a pitch aligning those policies to the national security concerns that sparked a recently enacted science and technology funding law," Roll Call's Suzanne Monyak reports. — "Tech leaders say they hope to persuade Congress to follow up the law passed three months ago, which aims to reinvest in domestic semiconductor manufacturing and scientific research, with measures to draw the foreign talent to U.S. businesses that they say is needed to make that happen." — "Concerns about high migration levels at the U.S-Mexico border have overwhelmed discussions about immigration legislation this Congress, including revisions to key employment-based immigration programs for foreign professionals with advanced degrees" that tech companies have long clamored for. — "But the tech sector hopes to connect the issue with the stated goals of the law, known as the CHIPS and Science Act, to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to American shores and better compete with foreign rivals like China. Linda Moore, president and CEO of TechNet, a tech lobbying group that counts Amazon, Apple and Google among its members, said the sector can now frame follow-up immigration action as a chance 'to deliver on the promise of what this bill was passed to do.'" INDUSTRY BANKROLLS INFLUENTIAL AG RESEARCH CENTER: An agricultural research center at the University of California, Davis whose head has become a vocal critic of calls to scale back certain meat consumption in the name of health and sustainability " receives almost all its funding from industry donations and coordinates with a major livestock lobby group on messaging campaigns," The New York Times' Hiroko Tabuchi reports. — Internal documents show that the Clear Center at UC Davis, "which has become a leading institution in the field of agriculture and climate, was set up in 2019 with a $2.9 million gift to be paid out over several years from the Institute for Feed Education and Research , or IFeeder, the nonprofit arm of the American Feed Industry Association, a livestock industry group that represents major agricultural companies like Cargill and Tyson." — The group, which is run by Frank Mitloehner , "had also received more than $350,000 from other industry or corporate sources, the documents show, including nearly $200,000 from the California Cattle Council, a regional livestock industry group," as of April 2022. — "There is no indication that Dr. Mitloehner or the Clear Center violated disclosure requirements," and Mitloehner "said the livestock industry's financial and other ties to his research center were instrumental to the center's mission. … He also highlighted the work that his lab was doing with the industry to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases." Still, "critics say that close financial ties between a research center and the industry it studies create the potential for conflict of interest." CORRECTION: Friday's edition of Influence misidentified the organization that moved its event from the Trump Bedminster, N.J., golf course after the Jan. 6 riot. It was the PGA of America. PI regrets the error.   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 .     Jobs Report — Jordan Heiliczer has joined the National Restaurant Association as its labor and workforce policy director. She previously was senior director of government and political affairs at the Asian American Hotel Owners Association. — Lauren Lyles-Stolz has joined the National Association of Chain Drug Stores as senior director of reimbursement, innovation and advocacy. Most recently, she served as health legislative assistant for Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.). — Alexandra Teitz will be chief counsel for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and Jake Abbott will take over as communications director for the panel. Teitz was most recently a principal at AT Strategies and was previously chief counsel on House Energy and Commerce under former Rep. Henry Waxman. Abbott was most recently deputy communications director for EPW. — Adam Lisberg has left DJI as its corporate communication director for North America after more than six years with the drone company. Arianne Burrell will temporarily fill in the role until DJI names a permanent replacement. — Patrick Hillmann has been named chief strategy officer at Binance. He most recently was chief communications officer at the company and is an Edelman alum. New Joint Fundraisers None. New PACs Citizens Against Forced Pregnancy (PAC) Draft Kristi Noem for President (Super PAC) Mitosis In Action (Hybrid PAC) PA Lawyer Fund (Super PAC) Trident Political Action Committee (Leadership PAC: Eli Crane) New Lobbying Registrations Alpha Strategies, LLC: Franklin Armory, Inc. Capitol Counsel LLC: Business Council Of Canada Capitol Counsel LLC: Heart Rhythm Society Capitol Venture LLC: Washington 2 Advocates On Behalf Of Kymeta Corporation Jms Natural Resource Strategies, LLC: Quail Coalition Jms Natural Resource Strategies, LLC: Texas Conservation Alliance Subject Matter (Fka Elmendorf Ryan): Livewire Ev, LLC And Its Affiliate Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Inc. Windward Strategies: Haines Borough New Lobbying Terminations Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Centre Haitien De Recherche En Amenagement Et En Developpement (Chrad) Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Norfolk Airport Authority Healthcare Association Of Western And Central New York (Fka Western New York Healthcare Association): Healthcare Association Of Western And Central New York (Fka Wny Healthcare Assoc Mr. Louis Cherington: Black Women's Health Imperative Mr. Louis Cherington: Zerogunviolence In Schools Rmp Strategies, LLC: Corelogic Social Security Works: Social Security Works   Follow us

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