With Daniel Lippman BOEING DEPARTURE LOUNGE: Art Cameron, Boeing 's vice president of federal legislative affairs, is leaving the company after more than a decade in the government operations shop, according to an internal announcement obtained by PI. Cameron joined Boeing in 2011 after serving as staff director for the Senate Appropriations Committee's subcommittee on commerce, justice and science, and lobbied on Boeing's NASA and appropriations profiles before being named to his most recent role. — "In his time here, Art has managed winning advocacy campaigns, captured billions in appropriations for BDS programs, and steered legislative strategy during some of the Company's most challenging periods," executive vice president of government operations Ziad Ojakli wrote in an email to employees announcing Cameron's departure. Ojakli added on a personal note that he was "enormously appreciative of the advice, candor, and friendship Art has extended to me over the past five months" as he began his role within the aerospace giant. — Cameron is the latest in a series of departures by senior staff in the D.C. office over the past year. Last June, Boeing's top lobbyist Tim Keating abruptly left the company, followed weeks later by Jeff Shockey, who is now the top lobbyist for rival Raytheon Technologies. Last fall Ojakli announced to staffers that Jennifer Lowe , Boeing's vice president for national strategy and engagement, would be leaving the company after 12 years. Happy Friday and welcome to PI, where your host has a little more pep in her step now that baseball is officially returning. Send free agency gossip or K Street tips: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.
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CORLEY CONSULTING TO MERGE WITH TEXAS FIRM: D.C. and Texas-based lobbying firm Corley Consulting is merging with Texas firm High Water Consulting, with the resulting shop operating under the banner High Water Strategies. Scott Corley, a former Senate staffer who used to lobby in-house for Microsoft and the Information Technology Industry Council; Kasey Pipes, a former aide to House Appropriations ranking member Kay Granger (R-Texas); Colby Hale, a former chief of staff to Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas); and Stewart Young, a former senior adviser to Ivanka Trump , will all be partners in the new firm, which will have offices in D.C. and Dallas-Fort Worth, and continue working on immigration, tech, defense, energy and appropriations issues. SCHUMER'S ANTITRUST ROADMAP: "Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's staff told advocates on two calls this month that he is willing to put tech antitrust bills on the Senate floor as soon as possible — as long as they can prove the legislation will receive 60 votes," POLITICO's Emily Birnbaum and Leah Nylen report. — "Schumer's top tech and telecom staffer Didier Barjon held calls with groups of antitrust advocates and representatives of small tech companies on March 4 and 7, according to three people familiar with the call who were granted anonymity to talk about private discussions. … Barjon said during Monday's call that Schumer's office has spoken with CEOs of big tech companies opposing the bills, according to one source familiar with the call. He did not name which executives have reached out." — "The big tech companies' lobbying is not necessarily a deterrent to putting the bills on the floor, Barjon said. Right now, Schumer is waiting for Senate Judiciary antitrust chair Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and supporters of the antitrust legislation to show him that it can reach the 60-vote threshold needed to cut off debate." AMAZON STRUGGLES TO GAIN TRACTION IN BIDEN'S WASHINGTON: "Joe Biden's election as president seemed to herald better days in Washington for Amazon and for Jay Carney, its top official in the capital," The Wall Street Journal's Dana Mattioli reports. In reality, "Amazon's relationship with the White House has been less than chummy. Mr. Biden nominated a prominent critic of the company to head the Federal Trade Commission, which is investigating Amazon's competitive practices. Mr. Carney has sent a series of frustrated messages to White House chief of staff Ron Klain about perceived slights against Amazon, said people familiar with the messages." — "The combative strategy, guided from its Seattle headquarters, has also alienated many of Amazon's executives in Washington, causing a number of departures at its D.C. offices, according to current and former Amazon public-policy employees. … The tenor of Amazon's approach to Washington starts with Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos." — "Mr. Carney, meanwhile, hasn't appeared to hold much sway at the White House. Since Mr. Biden's inauguration, he has visited the White House only once, according to White House visitor logs. By comparison, Brad Smith, Microsoft Corp.'s president and leader on government relations, has held four meetings there in the period, the log shows. The Amazon spokeswoman said Mr. Carney was recently at the White House once more—the visit isn't yet reflected in the visitor logs." — "Last year, Mr. Carney directed a frustrated message at Mr. Klain, the White House chief of staff, after Mr. Biden hosted the CEOs of Walmart Inc., Gap Inc., Lowe's Cos. and JPMorgan Chase & Co., said people familiar with the exchange. Amazon wasn't invited, and Mr. Carney pleaded for Amazon to be considered for future events, the people said. In December, Mr. Carney messaged Mr. Klain questioning him about a Politico article stating that Mr. Biden was embracing Amazon rival Walmart, said one of the people." MEANWHILE, IN FLORIDA: "After weeks of internal strife and external controversy surrounding the Walt Disney Company's lack of public response to the 'Don't Say Gay' legislation in Florida, CEO Bob Chapek announced in a company email on Friday that Disney will pause all political donations in the state during a restructuring of its political giving framework," Variety's Adam Vary reports. — "It is clear that this is not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but instead yet another challenge to basic human rights," Chapek wrote. "You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down. I am sorry. Our employees see the power of this great company as an opportunity to do good. I agree. Yes, we need to use our influence to promote that good by telling inclusive stories, but also by standing up for the rights of all." — Chapek said the company, which is one of Florida's largest employers, will immediately begin "increasing our support for advocacy groups to combat similar legislation in other states" and that the company will establish "a new framework for our political giving that will ensure our advocacy better reflects our values." — The memo came after Chapek came under fire for not taking an earlier stance in opposition to the bill, which bars educators from leading instruction on sexual orientation or gender issues with students in kindergarten through third grade, and was sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk this week. SPOTTED: At an NRSC fundraiser hosted by BGR Group on Wednesday that raised over half a million dollars, according to a PI tipster: NRSC Chair Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Sens. Joni Ernst(R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas); BGR's Haley Barbour, Bob Wood, Dan Murphy and Erskine Wells, Melissa Schooley of Abiomed, Alex Rogers of Qualcomm, Scott Levy of Amedisys, Sinclair Cooper of Hunt Companies and Kriss Stanley and Roger Libby of DHL.
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