| | | | | |  | | By Caitlin Oprysko | Presented by Save Our Standards | With Daniel Lippman ARNOLD & PORTER RE-UPS AT A HIGHER RATE WITH MICRONESIA: Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer has extended its contract with the Federated States of Micronesia, with a pricier retainer fee, as the geopolitically important Pacific island nation nears the final year of portions of its current Compact of Free Association with the U.S. — Arnold & Porter has represented Micronesia since 2016, but the firm expects its services to ramp up ahead of the 2023 expiration of various provisions in the so-called COFA agreement — under which the U.S. agrees to provide financial assistance, defense and work opportunities for citizens in exchange for a military presence in a region of increasing strategic importance to both the U.S. and China. — As such, Arnold & Porter's retainer fee has almost doubled from its initial $35,000-per-month price tag to $62,500 a month in the latest contract, which went into effect in the fall but was filed with the Justice Department late last month. "This fee reflects the anticipated increase in the Firm's workload and its staffing of FSM matters in the upcoming talks with the United States, which will require more time from both our attorneys and our legislative staff than during the previous two contractual periods," Arnold & Porter counsel Sam Witten wrote in a document filed with DOJ. — "That's just a function that ... as we have grown closer to 2023 there's more and more work that we're doing," he told PI. Witten added that Arnold & Porter has been in touch with Micronesia's embassy in Washington, as well as a planning commission of stakeholders from Micronesia and its president on the expiring provisions, which Congress will also need to sign off on. — Negotiations on expiring portions of the compact began during the Trump administration, but were delayed by the pandemic. The stalled talks led 10 members of Congress — most of whom hail from Pacific states or territories — to write to national security adviser Jake Sullivan late last year urging the Biden administration to finalize pacts with Micronesia and two other countries with such agreements, the Marshall Islands and Palau, POLITICO reported. The lawmakers called it "distressing that these negotiations do not appear to be a priority," citing the lack of formal meetings since Biden became president and calling for the designation of a lead negotiator on the National Security Council. — Micronesia and its fellow Freely Associated States occupy a prime location in the Pacific Ocean, giving it vital importance to both the U.S. and China, with Beijing looking to expand its influence with Micronesia as well. 2022 is also set to bring a long-delayed independence referendum in the highly populated Micronesian state of Chuuk, where China has invested heavily. Good afternoon and welcome to PI. What'd I miss over the holidays? Send tips: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko. | | A message from Save Our Standards: Technical standards like 5G and Wi-Fi have the power to transform industries, fuel the economy, and create high-quality jobs. But that only happens if owners of patents essential to standards honor their commitments to license all innovators to use those patents on fair and reasonable terms. A new draft Administration statement restores the balance vital to standards adoption and job creation. Support the Administration to promote American manufacturing and limit product bans on standard-essential patents. | | | TRUMP GETS READY TO INSERT HIMSELF INTO MIDTERMS FRAY: "Donald J. Trump and his allies are scheduling events and raising money for initiatives intended to make the former president a central player in the midterm elections, and possibly to set the stage for another run for the White House," The New York Times' Ken Vogel and Shane Goldmacher report. The schedule of events includes a forum "next month at his Mar-a-Lago resort for candidates he has endorsed and donors who give as much as $125,000 per person to a pro-Trump super PAC." — "The efforts seem intended to reinforce the former president's grip on the Republican Party and its donors amid questions about whether Mr. Trump will seek the party's nomination again or settle into a role as a kingmaker. Taken together, the pro-Trump groups form a sort of shadow political party that could help start another presidential campaign and, if that were successful, shape his administration." — Next month's forum at Mar-a-Lago is being planned by "a super PAC run by some of Mr. Trump's closest allies called Make America Great Again, Again! Inc., according to an email to donors from Roy W. Bailey, a Texas businessman and Republican fund-raiser. 'There will be an all-day candidate forum with back-to-back speeches from the endorsed candidates and familiar faces in the Trump orbit,' wrote Mr. Bailey, who was a leading fund-raiser for Mr. Trump's campaigns and inaugural committee, then registered to lobby his administration. 'We want those who attend to leave thinking that it was the best political event they have ever attended,' he wrote." LEGEYT TAKES OVER AT NAB: Curtis LeGeyt is now president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters after the group's longtime head Gordon Smith moved into an advisory role with the trade group ahead of the end of his contract in 2023. LeGeyt was previously the group's chief operating officer and is a former Democratic Hill staffer and an alum of former President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign. Michelle Lehman, NAB's executive vice president for public affairs, will add the role of chief of staff to her current duties, and Lesley Peña is being promoted to deputy chief of staff. FORTENBERRY CASE TO MOVE FORWARD: "A federal judge has rejected U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry's first barrage of defense attacks on the indictment against the nine-term Nebraska congressman," the Omaha World-Herald's Todd Cooper reports. "U.S. District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. denied four of Fortenberry's motions to dismiss charges and a fifth motion to disqualify a prosecutor the defense contends should be called as a witness in the case." — "In a December hearing, Blumenfeld had sharply questioned Fortenberry attorney John Littrell's attempt to disqualify lead prosecutor Mack Jenkins, who heads up a division that handles public corruption cases. One of the charges came because, prosecutors allege, Fortenberry didn't come clean to Jenkins. Blumenfeld asked whether defense attorneys would push for entire offices of prosecutors to be disqualified over involvement in an investigation. 'How far does that go?' Blumenfeld asked at the Dec. 11 hearing." — "Fortenberry, a Republican who has represented eastern Nebraska's 1st District since 2005, is charged with three felonies — two counts of making false statements to federal agents and one count of seeking to conceal the source of $30,000 in 'conduit' political contributions from a 2016 California fundraiser." The congressman sought to have the case tossed on a number of grounds: His defense team asserted that one of the charges is redundant; that Fortenberry's statements to investigators were immaterial to the probe; and that he didn't have a legal duty to disclose what he allegedly knew about the source of the donations. His team also accused prosecutors of deliberately bringing the case in a friendlier venue, all of which were arguments Blumenfeld rejected." — Another hearing on additional challenges to the case is scheduled for next week. ANNALS OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE: The FEC this weekend sent a notice to the PAC belonging to major music label Universal Music Group over campaign contributions exceeding the legal limit to Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), the Daily Beast's Roger Sollenberger reports. It's a development made even more notable, Sollenberger points out, due to the fact that one of the label's most famous clients, pop icon Taylor Swift, vocally opposed Blackburn's Senate candidacy in her first foray into politics in 2018. — "Blackburn has so far raised $9,500 from the UMG PAC to put towards her 2024 bid, nearly hitting its ceiling three years out from the election. The Federal Election Commission flagged that the latest UMG donation put the PAC over the donation limit for the 2024 primary election cycle. And while the Blackburn campaign appears to have already reallocated the funds to comply with regulations, the PAC has so far failed to do so in its reports." | | | | 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. | | | | | | | | — Jonathan Miller is joining Cornerstone Government Affairs' federal government relations team. He previously was chief of staff for the Defense Health Agency Research and Development Directorate. — Victoria Coates has joined the American Foreign Policy Council as a distinguished fellow in strategic studies. She most recently was a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy and is the former deputy national security adviser for the Middle East and North Africa and former senior policy adviser to the secretary of Energy in the Trump administration. — Katie Moore Culleton is joining the National Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives as legislative affairs director. She was previously senior policy adviser to Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.). — American Bridge 21st Century is adding Drew Godinich as senior director of comms (previously on Shontel Brown's campaign), Kait Demchuk as digital director (previously on New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy's reelect), Alexandra De Luca as gubernatorial and state communications director (previously at 314 Action), and Grace Hagerty as deputy press secretary (previously at the New Hampshire Democratic Party). — Sophie Vaughan will be campaign manager for Wilson Sonsini lawyer and former Cory Booker legislative fellow Ajwang Rading , who is running for a House seat representing parts of Silicon Valley. Vaughan most recently worked as a speechwriter for Ady Barkan's Be A Hero PAC and, before that, for Kentucky Senate candidate Amy McGrath. — Roy Herrera and Daniel Arellano are launching Herrera Arellano LLP, a boutique firm with D.C. and Phoenix offices focused on election, campaign finance and nonprofit law. The two Democratic attorneys in Arizona were previously at Ballard Spahr. — Cora Mandy is joining Plus Communications as a director in public affairs. She most recently was comms manager at Heritage's Institute for Economic Freedom, and is an America First Action alum. | | | | BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now. | | | | | — Lauren Cohen is now associate director of government relations at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She previously was government affairs manager at Americans for the Arts. — Alex Byers has joined AT&T as director of communications and public relations. He was most recently at Finsbury Glover Hering and is a POLITICO alum. — Lauren Hyland has joined Tiger Hill Partners as a senior associate in the firm's public affairs practice. She previously led communications for the Cargo Airline Association, where she also supported sustainability policy initiatives. — Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is now president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. — Michael Moran has joined Deutsche Bank as head of public affairs for the Americas. He was previously head of U.S. policy at Credit Suisse. — Brian Toohey has joined Illumina, Inc. , as vice president of global government affairs and public policy. Toohey joins from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, where he served as senior vice president for international advocacy. — Rachel Racoosin is now a senior vice president at Edelman on their financial communications team. She most recently was senior director of client partnerships at Axios and is an alum of Levick and Ketchum. — Miller & Chevalier has promoted Gregory W. Bates and Lisandra Ortiz to members of the firm and added Daniel Solomon as a member in the international practice. | | | | A message from Save Our Standards:   | | | | | | FALLON VICTORY FUND (Patriots Always Triumph, NRCC, Fallon for Congress) | | | Christian Civic League of Maine lnc. (PAC)
Minocqua Brewing Company SuperPAC (Super PAC)
Policy is Personal PAC (Leadership PAC: Mondaire Jones)
Republicans Against Voting (Super PAC)
The Resistance (PAC)
Strike PAC (Super PAC)
TENNESSEE TOUGH PAC (Leadership PAC: Diana Harshbarger) | | New Lobbying Registrations | | Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld: Citizens For A Safe And Secure America
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld: City Of Fort Lauderdale
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld: Ebay Inc.
Brian Dearing: Creative Tent International
Chime Financial, Inc.: Chime Financial, Inc.
Cogent Strategies LLC: National Newspaper Association
Cogent Strategies LLC: Turncommerce, Inc.
Crossroads Strategies, LLC: Dapper Labs Inc.
Duncancounts, LLC: City Of Orange Beach
Miller & Chevalier Chartered: Steel Industries, Inc.
Rock Spring Public Policy: The Protect Democracy Project | | New Lobbying Terminations | | Capitol Hill Advocates LLC: American Association Of Radon Scientists And Technologists
Khawam Ripka, LLP: Khawam Ripka, LLP
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP: Texas Children's Hospital
Natural Resource Results LLC: The Foundation For Pennsylvania Watersheds
Tom Bradley Health Policy LLC: Capitol Counsel LLC On Behalf Of California Dental Association | | A message from Save Our Standards: Support US Jobs. Stop SEP Abuse.
A new draft policy statement on standard-essential patents (SEPs) committed for licensing on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms was released jointly by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Justice. The draft statement provides guidance on appropriate remedies in cases involving the use of these patents, and presents an approach to SEPs that strives to balance the interests of patent holders with the broad range of U.S. industries that use standards to protect the future of innovation.
Save Our Standards is a broad-based coalition working to end abusive practices in SEP licensing. We welcome the draft statement and support the Biden Administration for their leadership protecting U.S. competitiveness in charting out this balanced approach. Comments are being accepted through February 4. Support the Biden Administration to stop SEP abuse. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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