News: Barrack arrested on foreign-agent charges — Retail real estate group retools for the post-Covid era — Retailers fly in to try and head off corporate tax hikes

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Barrack arrested on foreign-agent charges — Retail real estate group retools for the post-Covid era — Retailers fly in to try and head off corporate tax hikes

Jul 20, 2021

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By Caitlin Oprysko

Presented by

With Daniel Lippman

JUST IN: Former Trump campaign adviser Tom Barrack was arrested today and charged with acting as a foreign agent of the United Arab Emirates between 2016 and 2018. According to an indictment unsealed this afternoon in a federal court in Brooklyn, Barrack, while serving as a foreign policy adviser to former President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, inserted pro-UAE language into a campaign speech, and took direction from UAE officials about what to say in media appearances and in a 2016 op-ed he wrote. In addition to foreign lobbying charges, Barrack has also been charged with obstruction of justice and lying to federal investigators.

— He also allegedly agreed to promote a candidate backed by the UAE for the post of ambassador to the gulf nation while providing "non-public information about the views and reactions of senior U.S. government officials following a White House meeting between senior U.S. officials and senior UAE officials" to Rashid Alshahhi, a UAE citizen who was also charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent. Matthew Grimes, an aide to Barrack at his investment firm Colony Capital, has also been charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent, according to the indictment. According to a press release from the Justice Department, both Barrack and Grimes were arrested in Los Angeles this morning and were to be arraigned this afternoon.

ICSC REBRANDS FOR THE POST-COVID ERA: The ICSC , previously known as the International Council of Shopping Centers, debuted a new name on Monday as shopping trends continue to upend the retail industry. The trade association, whose members include mall and shopping center owners, will now go by Innovating Commerce Serving Communities, as the rise of e-commerce continues to threaten brick-and-mortar retail that got hammered by coronavirus mandates over the last year and a half.

— While the pandemic didn't completely prompt the rebranding, it did accelerate many of the conditions that led to it, Tom McGee, ICSC's president told PI. From the use of digital tagging to the proliferation of technology like apps for curbside pickup and online ordering, "all of those things really had a profound impact on the industry and we're starting to see a lot of changes in our membership as a result of that," McGee said in an interview.

— As a result, the group is broadening its membership to include technology and logistics companies, while more mixed-use developments are causing "whole new tenant classes" to emerge. "We've moved towards presenting ourselves as an organization that represents the marketplaces and spaces industry where people shop, dine, work, play and gather, which is much more reflective of the composition of our membership and property types that are our organization," McGee added.

— The ICSC will also broaden its advocacy efforts to reflect its new brand. "I think that sometimes the phraseology shopping center got misinterpreted to be very singularly focused," McGee said. The group, which shelled out $2.5 million on lobbying last year, according to OpenSecrets.org , will also lobby on issues relating to small business and economic development. That includes, McGee said, trying to prevent the elimination of several tax provisions Democrats are taking aim at in infrastructure talks. The ICSC is also pushing for more relief programs to help "micro small businesses" such as nail salons, dry cleaners and fitness centers that have not had as much access to programs like PPP. Targeted grant funds like those set up for restaurants and live entertainment venues "were good programs but there's still a lot of pain in the small business community," he said.

Good afternoon and welcome to PI. What should PI be looking out for in this week's LDA filings? Get in touch: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.

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RETAILERS FLY IN (VIRTUALLY) TO TRY AND HEAD OFF TAX HIKES: Retailers from 16 brands, as well as state retail associations from Texas, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Washington are joining the National Retail Federation today for a two-day lobbying sprint to try and beat back Democratic attempts to increase the corporate tax rate to help pay for the party's infrastructure policies. The groups will host 14 meetings with lawmakers today and tomorrow to make the case for why increasing corporate taxes would detrimentally impact the industry as it comes away from the pandemic.

HOTELS LOBBY FOR COVID AID: The hotel industry is also holding virtual meetings on the Hill this week as it pushes Congress for pandemic aid. The American Hotel & Lodging Association and the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, two of the industry's largest trade associations, are hosting nearly 300 hoteliers representing 45 states and 196 congressional districts to appeal to lawmakers on three priorities: the Save Hotel Jobs Act, legislation to establish fair per diem rates, and allow more industry access to the Employee Retention Tax Credit. They've scheduled more than 200 meetings, including with nearly 50 House members and Sens. John Boozman (R-Ark.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine).

— "Despite an uptick in leisure travel, midway through 2021 we're still seeing that the road to a full recovery for America's hotels is long and uneven. These findings show the economic devastation still facing hotel markets and underscore the need for targeted relief from Congress for hotel workers and small businesses," said Chip Rogers, AHLA's president and chief executive, in a statement.

WILL AMAZON PUT ITS MUSCLE BEHIND MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION? "When it announced its support for lawmakers' efforts to decriminalize weed last month, Amazon didn't just become the biggest company in America to back marijuana legalization, it captivated the cannabis industry in the process. Now, as bills pushing legalization remain stuck in Congress, activists fighting for liberalized cannabis laws are hoping the e-commerce giant will take the next step and use its considerable D.C. muscle to help get them passed," POLITICO's Natalie Fertig and Theo Meyer report.

— "Lobbyists for legalization are pinning their hopes on Amazon using its experienced lobbying team and deep pockets to support their efforts, believing it could help them launch ad campaigns and persuade lawmakers opposed to legalization — especially those who represent states where cannabis is legal — to change their minds. Cannabis lobbyists and advocates who have spoken with Amazon made it clear that the company is already engaging in cannabis discussions in Washington, D.C. Whether Amazon actively lobbies or invests monetarily in legislation is the question on everyone's minds."

— Still, reaction to Amazon's support for the MORE Act, which would decriminalize cannabis and provide for expungement of some nonviolent cannabis offenses, has varied among industry groups and advocates. "Most told POLITICO that the money and influence Amazon could bring to the issue could be a big help to a still-underfunded lobbying effort. But there is also some trepidation that Amazon's involvement indicates it actually plans to enter the industry in some way, and that it could influence federal legislation to be friendlier for big corporations."

BIDEN TAPS GOOGLE CRITIC FOR DOJ ANTITRUST POST: President Joe Biden has finally selected a nominee to lead the Justice Department's antitrust division, Bloomberg's Justin Sink reports. Jonathan Kanter, who last year left the law firm Paul, Weiss to found a boutique antitrust firm, "is a long-time foe of Alphabet Inc.'s Google, representing companies that have pushed antitrust enforcers to sue the search giant. If confirmed by the Senate, Kanter would take over the division as it forges ahead with a monopoly lawsuit filed in October against Google and an investigation of Apple Inc. over its App Store practices."

— He's the preferred candidate "of a faction of lawmakers and antitrust experts who say the U.S. economy is plagued by monopoly power across industries, and that enforcers at the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission need to more aggressively police mergers and anticompetitive conduct." Kanter's nomination would come as lawmakers on the Hill as well as the Biden administration move to crack down on large corporations and consolidating industries.

HOW BIDEN'S ANTITRUST ORDER IS PLAYING DOWNTOWN: Biden's wide-ranging executive order earlier this month "aimed at thwarting corporate consolidation and promoting competition in the economy has already spurred business in one sector: K Street. Lobbyists have begun to plot campaigns to influence multiple federal departments and agencies as the executive branch embarks on a major, monthslong effort to write or rewrite regulations that could affect businesses' bottom lines," Roll Call's Kate Ackley reports.

— "The executive order hits K Street clients in agriculture, technology, health care, financial services and even alcoholic beverages. It directs agencies to grapple with increased consolidation in such industries as insurance, health care and agriculture. … The administration also wants to make it harder for employers to collude to suppress wages by limiting noncompete clauses and taking other steps."

— "If you think this executive order won't impact you, you're probably not paying attention," Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld's Francine Friedman told Ackley. "Everyone should be looking at how things could be good for them or bad for them.'" Neil Bradley, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 's chief policy officer, "said his group would focus on how individual agencies carry out the directives and on the bigger picture for business overall," while rejecting the premise of Biden's directive.

Jobs Report

— Ron Dermer is joining the Jewish Institute for National Security of America as a distinguished fellow. He most recently spent eight years as the Israeli ambassador to the U.S.

— Patrick Hillmann has been promoted to be global head of innovation for crisis and risk at Edelman. He previously was executive vice president for crisis and risk at Edelman.

— RaShawn Mitchell is now a senior vice president at Rich Feuer Anderson, helping lead its expansion into the energy, ESG, gaming and tax sectors. He most recently was senior director at the American Gaming Association, and is a Joe Cunningham and Obama administration alum.

— The American Flood Coalition has named former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, Hawaii Public Utilities Commissioner Leo Asuncion and Blue Meridian Partners' Laurel Blatchford, an Obama alum, to its advisory board.

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

New Joint Fundraisers

None.

New PACs

Defend Oklahoma Values (Super PAC)
Trustworthy Republicans Always Serve Humbly (Leadership PAC: Rep. Barry Moore)

New Lobbying Registrations

Acg Advocacy: Centripetal Networks, Inc.
Acg Advocacy: Newsguard Technologies
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld: Aercap Holdings, N.V.
Alexander, Borovicka & O'Shea Government Solutions (Fka Alexander & Borovicka Go: Volan Technology Inc.
Alpine Group Partners, LLC.: Enviva Holdings, Lp
Alpine Group Partners, LLC.: Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
Alston & Bird LLP: USagainstalzheimers Action
Arent Fox LLP: Grand Street Settlement, Inc.
Bracewell LLP: Sustainable Opportunities Acquisition Corporation
Bramer Group, LLC: Ducommun Inc.
Capitol Counsel LLC: American Association Of Settlement Consultants
Capitol Counsel LLC: Rebuild Local News Coalition
Capitol Counsel LLC: United Spinal Association
Cavarocchi Ruscio Dennis Associates, L.L.C.: Cure Epilepsy
G2G Consulting: Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition
Grayrobinson Pa: City Of Apopka Fl
Hogan Lovells US LLP: Prodigy Education
Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman LLP: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Manatt, Phelps, And Phillips: Alliance Of Dedicated Cancer Centers
Monument Advocacy: Claroty, Inc.
Nana Regional Corporation: Nana Regional Corporation
Tch Group, LLC: Amazon.Com Services LLC

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New Lobbying Terminations

Acg Advocacy: Colorado Springs Chamber And Economic Development Corporation
Acg Advocacy: Flagship Olympia Foundation
Acg Advocacy: The Freedom Initiative
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld: Altice USa, Inc.
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld: New Venture Fund
American Defense International, Inc.: Akamai Physics, Inc.
American Defense International, Inc.: Calviri, Inc.
Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz /The Daschle Group: Roivant Sciences, Inc.
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Booz Allen Hamilton
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Dlh Corporation
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Jogan Thermal Checkpoint, LLC
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Navigators Global LLC (On Behalf Of Signal Restoration Services)
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Od Security North America LLC
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Washington Consulting Group Inc
Blank Rome Government Relations: Beaufort Military Enhancement Committee
Blank Rome Government Relations: Hertz Herson
Blank Rome Government Relations: Mission 1St Group, Inc.
Bockorny Group, Inc.: Govbiz Advantage, Inc. (On Behalf Of Arcimoto, Inc. And Aptera Motors Corp.)
Bracewell LLP: Enviva Lp
Bramer Group, LLC: Nobles Worldwide
Bridge Public Affairs, LLC: Aquasmart Enterprises, LLC
Bridge Public Affairs, LLC: Family Tree Farms
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Omnivision Technologies
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Sun Country Airlines
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Town Of Tusayan, Az
Burson Cohn & Wolfe: Surescripts
Capitol Counsel LLC: Capital Magnet Fund Coalition (Ad Hoc Coalition)
Capitol Counsel LLC: Crispr Therapeutics, Inc.
Capitol Counsel LLC: Custodia Financial, LLC
Capitol Counsel LLC: Florida Community Loan Fund
Capitol Counsel LLC: National Disability Cdfi Coalition
Capitol Counsel LLC: Parsons & Whittemore Enterprises
Capitol Counsel LLC: Pfm Financial Advisors LLC
Capitol Counsel LLC: Pfm Group Consulting
Capitol Counsel LLC: Radnet, Inc.
Carmen Group Incorporated: Accel Entertainment, Inc.
Carpi & Clay, Inc.: San Diego County Water Authority
Carpi & Clay, Inc.: Sun-Dis LLC
Carter Laws & Associates: International Trademark Association
Cassidy & Associates, Inc.: Edf Renewables
Chamber Hill Strategies: American Renal Associates
Cj Lake, LLC: H-2A Special Procedures Coalition
Cj Lake, LLC: National Council Of Agricultural Employers
Cj Lake, LLC: The Picard Group Obo Southeast Rehab LLC, Dba Southeast Rehabilitation Hospital
Cj Lake, LLC: The Picard Group Obo Sterlington Critical Access Hospital, LLC
Cj Lake, LLC: The Picard Group Obo The Harmony Center Inc., Dba Accord Rehabilitation Hospital
Commscope Holding Company, Inc.: Commscope Holding Company, Inc.
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: B2G Advisors, LLC Obo Harvard Investments, Inc.
Covington & Burling LLP: National General Insurance
Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: Excelerate Energy, L.P.
Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: Manhattan Chamber Of Commerce
Crossroads Strategies, LLC: Brennan Center For Justice
Crossroads Strategies, LLC: Sensiva Health, LLC
Da Vinci Group: Workcare, Inc.
Dla Piper LLP (US): Ladies Professional Golf Association (Lpga)
Dla Piper LLP (US): Women'S Tennis Association
Efrus Federal Advisors LLC: Fortinet
Efrus Federal Advisors LLC: Netapp Inc.
Fgh Holdings, LLC (Formerly Known As The Glover Park Group LLC): Cognizant Technology Solutions
Fgh Holdings, LLC (Formerly Known As The Glover Park Group LLC): Federal Home Loan Bank Of San Francisco
Fgh Holdings, LLC (Formerly Known As The Glover Park Group LLC): News Corporation
Fgh Holdings, LLC (Formerly Known As The Glover Park Group LLC): Roku, Inc.
Foley & Lardner, LLP: Exact Sciences
Fti Government Affairs: D-Wave Government Inc
Fti Government Affairs: Paypal, Inc.
Guide Consulting Services, Inc.: Spectrum Science Communications, Inc. On Behalf Of Theravance Biopharma US, Inc.
Hawksbill Group, LLC: Transunion, LLC
Hecht Latham Spencer & Associates, Inc., Formerly Known As Hecht Spencer & Assoc: Lkq Corporation
Hogan Lovells US LLP: Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc
Holland & Hart LLP: US Flagged Overnight Vessel Coalition (Informal Coalition)
Holland & Knight LLP: City Of Key West, Fl
J.A. Green And Company (Formerly LLC): Erickson Incorporated
J M Burkman & Associates: Coalition Of Hope Foundation Project: Excelsior
J M Burkman & Associates: Ecoark
J M Burkman & Associates: Healthquest Esoterics
J M Burkman & Associates: Maestra LLC
J M Burkman & Associates: Radial Engine Inc.
J M Burkman & Associates: US Physicians International Inc
Jones Day: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Jordan Wicker: Indiana University Health, Inc.
Jordan Wicker: State Of Indiana
Jordan Wicker: The Trustees Of Purdue University
King & Spalding LLP: Ak Steel Holding Corporation
King & Spalding LLP: Lone Star Industries, Inc.
King & Spalding LLP: Verso Corporation
King & Spalding LLP: Zekelman Industries (Formerly Known As Jmc Steel Group)
K&L Gates LLP: Lynas USa, LLC
Liberty Partners Group, LLC: Hospice Action Network
Live Oak Strategies: Neste US, Inc.
Mccaulley&Company: Village Of Woodmere
Mcdermott+Consulting LLC: Viz.Ai
Mercury Public Affairs, LLC: Caithness Shepherds Flat, LLC
Mercury Public Affairs, LLC: Global Medical Response
Mercury Public Affairs, LLC: Metal Trades Department, Afl-Cio
Mercury Public Affairs, LLC: X Labs
Michael Best Strategies LLC: Chisholm Broadband
Miller Strategies, LLC: California Business Roundtable
Miller Strategies, LLC: Ctia-The Wireless Association
Miller Strategies, LLC: Integra Connect, LLC
Miller Strategies, LLC: Mr. Cooper Group, Inc.
Miller Strategies, LLC: Praxis Advisors, LLC
Missy Edwards Strategies, LLC: The Invest In America Coalition
Mrs. Judith C. Sherman: American Dental Association
Ms. Rebecca Halkias: Flh Company
National Environmental Strategies: Red Flat Nickel Corporation
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough: Heritage Health Solutions
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough: Rowley Company
Nixon Peabody LLP: Birch Island Lp
Nixon Peabody LLP: National Multifamily Housing Council
Nossaman LLP: Apparent, Inc.
Nossaman LLP: Lavle
Ogilvy Government Relations: Atlas Supply LLC
Pacific Compass Ventures LLC: Rural Media Group, Inc.
Peter Damon Group LLC: Bill And Hillary Clinton National Airport
Peter Damon Group LLC: Little Rock Port Authority
Peter Damon Group LLC: Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority
Peter Damon Group LLC: Rock Region Metro
Sidley Austin LLP: Enphase Energy
Sidley Austin LLP: Willis Lease Finance Corporation
Squire Patton Boggs: Autodesk, Inc.
Squire Patton Boggs: Camera Ecuatoriano Americana De Comercio Guayaquil
Squire Patton Boggs: The Trucking Alliance
Summit Strategies Government Affairs LLC: Friends Of Frog Ferry
Tarplin, Downs & Young, LLC: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings
Taylor Strategies: National League Of Nursing Commission For Nursing Education Accreditation
The Fabry Group: Parent Child Home Program
The Hobbs Group, LLC: Honeywell International
The Joseph Group, LLC: Caliper Foods
The Keelen Group, LLC: Accuity
The Keelen Group, LLC: Amsty
The Keelen Group, LLC: Arrl, The National Association For Amateur Radio
The Keelen Group, LLC: Community Restoration Alliance
The Keelen Group, LLC: Doctors Company
The Keelen Group, LLC: Enterprise Communications Advocacy Coalition
The Keelen Group, LLC: Infinity Flight Group
The Keelen Group, LLC: International Association Of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, And Transportation Workers
The Keelen Group, LLC: Las Vegas Sands Corporation
The Keelen Group, LLC: Mason Contractors Association Of America
The Keelen Group, LLC: Merkava Strategies Corporation On Behalf Of Mark Scott
The Keelen Group, LLC: National Real Estate Investors Association
The Keelen Group, LLC: Natural Products Association
The Keelen Group, LLC: Pike
The Keelen Group, LLC: Plastics Industry Association Formerly The Society Of The Plastics Industry
The Keelen Group, LLC: Rebecca Taxman
The Keelen Group, LLC: Roth Jackson
The Keelen Group, LLC: Seller Finance Coalition (Sfc)
The Keelen Group, LLC: Sp Capital Management, LLC
The Keelen Group, LLC: Stillwater Solutions 23, LLC Dba National Child Id Program
The Livingston Group, L.L.C.: Ayass Bioscience LLC
The Livingston Group, L.L.C.: Pew Charitable Trusts
The Livingston Group, L.L.C.: Tribal Bio-Med LLC
The Livingston Group, L.L.C.: Turing Video
The Lugar Group (Fkalugar Hellmann Group): Amazon.Com, Inc.
The Nickles Group, LLC: Myriad Genetics, Inc.
The Raben Group: First 5 La
The Raben Group: Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Uncorked Advocates: Alzheimer'S Association
Van Scoyoc Associates: Altimmune, Inc.
Van Scoyoc Associates: Atruity Federal, LLC
Van Scoyoc Associates: Human Resources Strategies, Inc.
Van Scoyoc Associates: Navient
Van Scoyoc Associates: Philanthropy New York
Washington Advocacy Group: American Continental Group Analytics
Whitmer & Worrall, LLC: Carousel Center Company, Lp/Destiny USa Holdings, LLC
Winning Strategies Washington: Combat Hate Foundation
Winning Strategies Washington: Digital Diagnostics
Winning Strategies Washington: US Physician Partners (Informal Coalition)