News : Music industry group accuses broadcasters of spreading ‘misinformation’ — AFP targets frontline Dems over drug pricing bill — Chamber announces leadership for political committee

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Music industry group accuses broadcasters of spreading ‘misinformation’ — AFP targets frontline Dems over drug pricing bill — Chamber announces leadership for political committee

May 04, 2021

With Daniel Lippman

FIRST IN PI — MUSIC INDUSTRY GROUP ACCUSES BROADCASTERS OF SPREADING 'MISINFORMATION' ON ARTIST COMPENSATION: The MusicFIRST Coalition, which represents the American Federation of Musicians, the Recording Industry Association of America, The Recording Academy and other music groups, accused the National Association of Broadcasters today of perpetrating a "misinformation campaign" by encouraging lawmakers to support a congressional resolution opposing artists earning royalties or other compensation when their music is played on broadcast radio.

— The coalition is challenging a "Dear Colleague" letter being circulated by Reps. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) and Steve Womack (R-Ark.), who are the House sponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act, a perennially introduced measure, by annotating the letter that it says was crafted by the NAB and charges is misleading.

— The letter encourages lawmakers to reaffirm "Congress' longstanding support" for local radio stations that have served their communities especially throughout the pandemic by refusing "new performance fees or taxes," which MusicFIRST contends is "a clever trick to deny justice for artists and labels seeking to be paid when their music is played on FM/AM radio."

— Among MusicFIRST's issues with Castor and Womack's letter are that many local radio stations are owned by conglomerates, and that radio broadcasters make billions of dollars a year from ads while laying off staff. The group also argues that music creators were not eligible for programs like PPP, unlike broadcasters, and points to a shift in new artists being discovered through other means besides broadcast radio, like on streaming services that pay artists for their work.

— Ann Marie Cumming, a spokesperson for the NAB, echoed the letter's rhetoric in a statement to PI, saying the tax would compound the pandemic's economic effects and "decimate the economics of America's hometown radio stations that have launched the careers of countless musicians and exposed artists to generations of listeners." She praised the 85 lawmakers who have co-sponsored the resolution in the House and Senate.

AFP TARGETS DEM DRUG PRICING PUSH: Americans for Prosperity , the Koch-backed conservative advocacy group, is launching a six-figure ad buy against half a dozen House Democratic moderates urging the lawmakers against supporting leadership's sweeping package of drug pricing reforms, which the House Energy & Commerce Committee is marking up today.

— AFP's digital ads will target Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona, David Price of North Carolina, Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, Tom Malinowski of New Jersey and Elaine Luria and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia. The spots argue that Democrats' plan, which they are urging President Joe Biden to include as part of his sprawling infrastructure plan, would stifle innovation and spark drug shortages.

Good afternoon and welcome to PI. Don't worry, I won't subject you to any more Star Wars Day jokes. As a thank-you, feel free to send tips: coprysko@politico.com. You can also follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.

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CHAMBER ANNOUNCES POLITICAL LEADERSHIP FOR NEXT CYCLE: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has tapped Mike Rose, Comcast's vice president of external affairs, to lead its political advocacy committee while Steve Roberts, president and chief executive of the West Virginia Chamber, will serve as vice president of the committee heading into next year's midterms. The business lobby is grappling with Republican ire in part for its decision to back a slate of nearly two dozen vulnerable House Democrats last fall.

— Rose and Roberts will help guide the organization, which until last year had almost always endorsed conservatives, as it weighs which "pro-business" candidates — as well as ones who "show a dedication to bipartisan solutions," the chair of the Chamber's Board of Directors, Chris Lofgren, said in a statement — it will support.

— The Chamber's decision to break with tradition and support Democrats last year sparked a blowback that remains today, especially amid scrutiny over the business community's support for GOP lawmakers who objected to certifying Biden's Electoral College victory in January.

BERNHARDT LANDS BACK AT BROWNSTEIN: Former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt returned on Monday to his longtime firm, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, part time as a senior counsel. Bernhardt served in the Trump administration from the early months, first as deputy Interior secretary before taking over for Secretary Ryan Zinke when Zinke was forced to resign amid scandal.

— Bernhardt, who between stints at Brownstein as a lobbyist representing oil, gas and water industry clients also served as Interior's solicitor during the Bush administration, will "add immediate value to our clients," Brownstein spokesperson Lara Day told PI. She added that Bernhardt has now immediate plans to re-register to lobby and "has no intention of lobbying" Interior or its agencies.

— Former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, who also came to the Trump administration from K Street, will join the Heritage Foundation as a visiting fellow. Wheeler will advise the conservative think tank on the "economic and environmental impact of energy, climate change, and environmental regulations," according to a press release.

NAB LOBBYIST DEPARTS FOR EMPIRE: Mike Mullen, a longtime lobbyist for the National Association of Broadcasters, has left the trade organization to join Empire Consulting Group as a partner. Mullen told PI in an interview that he's eager to get "out of my comfort zone" and take on clients outside the broadcast space after 15 years at NAB.

MEET THE PEOPLE DECIDING WHETHER TO ALLOW TRUMP BACK ON FACEBOOK: "A group of 19 lawyers, scholars, activists and journalists from around the world will announce on Wednesday whether former President Donald Trump's Facebook account is to be reinstated or kept off the platform for good," POLITICO's Cristiano Lima reports.

— Facebook's so-called oversight board "could give the former president back one of his most powerful megaphones or muzzle him permanently on yet another major social media platform." And while "the board members have spoken sparingly about how they are weighing Trump's suspension, many have a long track record of weighing in on contentious issues around free speech on social media, and their backgrounds could offer a glimpse into how they each approached Trump's blockbuster case."

DUCKWORTH AIDES LAUNCH OWN FIRM: A trio of aides to Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) this week launched Magnify Strategies, a boutique political consulting and government relations firm. Duckworth's reelection campaign will be one of the first clients for Kaitlin Fahey, formerly her chief of staff; Paul Kohnstamm, her operations director; and Leah Israel, a top Democratic fundraiser.

— In an interview, Fahey said that though the firm will offer government affairs help, Magnify will not lobby, instead advising clients internally and working with their existing government relations staff.

GRASSLEY WANTS MORE INFO ABOUT ANY KERRY CONFLICTS: "Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) wants more details about John Kerry's personal finances and how the Biden climate envoy is avoiding conflicts between his official duties and private investments," Axios' Lachlan Markay reports. "Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday seeking more information after Axios revealed new details about Kerry's lucrative work in finance and energy investing after he completed his tenure as secretary himself."

FLYING IN (VIRTUALLY): Chiropractors and conservative environmentalists are the latest groups holding virtual court with lawmakers this week. Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions and the Conservative Energy Network are dispatching business leaders, farmers, state officials and more over the next three days to make the conservative case to more than 50 GOP offices for clean energy investments.

— On Thursday, the American Chiropractic Association is holding its virtual fly-in, meeting with Reps. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Jason Smith (R-Mo.), Ron Kind (D-Wis.), Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) to lobby for better beneficiary access to healthcare services provided by chiropractors in Medicare.

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Jobs Report

— Sara Gurkin is now senior account manager at marketing and communications firm Hunt & Gather. She most recently was senior account executive at Sunshine Sachs.

— Ralph Tyler is now director of regulatory affairs at Trinet. He previously ran his own consulting firm and is a Prudential Financial and Business Roundtable alum.

— National Beer Wholesalers Association hired Erin Donar as vice president of communications. She was most recently at H&R Block and previously served as deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the Treasury Department.

— Awesta Sarkash has been promoted to government affairs director for Small Business Majority after serving as the organization's government affairs manager.

— Dirk Didascalou will become chief technology officer of Siemens Digital Industries. He previously was vice president for the internet of things at Amazon Web Services and is a Microsoft alum.

— Emily Singer is now director of federal affairs at Berkshire Hathaway Energy. She most recently was counselor to the secretary of Energy.

— Brad Goodman is now vice president of Hawthorne Strategy Group. He most recently did communications for Cor Strategies and was the founder of Goodman Political.

New Joint Fundraisers

None.

New PACs

Breakthrough PAC (Leadership PAC: Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-Ga.))
Democratic Defense Fund (PAC)
Oregonians for America (PAC)
Restore America's Voice PAC (Leadership PAC: Cory Mills)

New Lobbying Registrations

Allon Advocacy, LLC: American Fair Credit Council
Alpex International, LLC: Nikola Corporation
Blank Rome Government Relations: American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association
Boundary Stone Partners: Edison International
Global USa, Inc.: Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (Smic)
Ikon Public Affairs: Museum Of The American Revolution
Innovative Policy, Pllc: Giving Home Health Care
Innovative Policy, Pllc: United Energy Workers Healthcare-Four Corners Healthcare
Keefe Singiser Partners: Public Citizen
Michelle Nawar: Americas Voice
Phoenix Global Organization Incorporated: Seven Seas Global Holdings Group Incorporated
Prime Policy Group: Puerto Rico Mayors Association
Pyxis Partners, LLC: Alliance Of Community Health Plans
Pyxis Partners, LLC: Braeburn Inc.
Sbl Strategies, LLC: Tusimple
Section Vii Strategies: Jinkosolar US
The Summerill Law Firm: Porter County Sheriff'S Office
The Vogel Group: Heuristic Actions, Inc.
The Vogel Group: Ultisat

New Lobbying Terminations

Ben Nighthorse Consultants, Inc.: Muscogee (Creek) Nation Of Oklahoma
Croissance International Consulting: Augustin St Cloud
Ets Consulting LLC: Babi Yar Holocaust Memorial Charity Fund
Fti Government Affairs: Range Resources Corporation
Iseman & Associates LLC: Caci
Jacobs Scholz & Associates, LLC: Save Ponte Vedra Beach, Inc
Park&K Public Affairs LLC: Civic Hall
Paul Hastings LLP: Flourish
Sl Strategies, LLC: Merck & Co., Inc.