| | | | |  | | By Caitlin Oprysko | | | FIRST IN PI — BROWNSTEIN LAUNCHES PRACTICE TO HELP CLIENTS NAVIGATE INFRASTRUCTURE LAW: K Street's top lobbying firm is the latest to form a dedicated practice to help clients access the hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending unlocked as a result of last year's bipartisan infrastructure bill or otherwise navigate and shape the law's implementation. — The new practice group from Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck will be led by Mark Begich, a former senator and Anchorage mayor, and also comprises Brownstein's Geoff Burr, Marc Lampkin, Doug Friednash, Bill McGrath, Nadeam Elshami, Jon Hrobsky, Steve Demby, Kate Gonzales, Luke Johnson, Jessica Kramer, Sarah Mercer, Bella Wolitz and Jason Buckner, with an emphasis on bipartisanship and experience at various levels and sides of government. — "We get calls on a regular basis about folks trying to understand what's happening because it is not just the traditional infrastructure," Begich told PI in an interview. "As you know, with that bill, there's a whole new array of opportunities that I think people are still trying to figure out what it all means, as well as the administration putting together their implementation package." — With the Energy Department in particular tasked with implementing a slew of new programs, and the Transportation Department set to stand up new climate-related programs, Begich said, clients in both the public and private sector have raised questions on issues ranging from who the point person will be on given initiatives to the details of how money for projects will be doled out and how rules or grant requests should be formulated to navigate new and emerging technologies. — "That, to me, is where we play a very significant role because of our knowledge of the system," Begich said of weighing in on programs that clients oppose. Then, it's a matter of "'let's go find the guys that write these things so they have at least some conversation.' You can't influence the outcome, but … let's make sure they know how this program could or not be implemented properly if they don't write the rules to give the greatest flexibility," he added. — Begich also praised the White House's point man for implementing the law, former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. "He understands, you know, what it takes to you know, get a bid on the street [that's] competitive and get a value for it," Begich said. It also helps that typically as a mayor, he argued, one understands "what I call the DOT morass of rules." Good afternoon and welcome to PI. Have a lobbying tip? Get in touch: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.
| | A message from HCA Healthcare: For more than 50 years, HCA Healthcare has been caring for the communities where our colleagues live and serve. To further our commitment to these communities, the HCA Healthcare Foundation announced the Healthier Tomorrow Fund in 2021. This $80 million community impact fund focuses on addressing high-priority community needs and health equity through grants to nonprofit organizations. Read more on how we show up for our patients, communities and each other. | | | K STREET'S LOVE AFFAIR WITH RUSSIA: "Russia's invasion of Ukraine has done something previous tensions between Moscow and Washington could not: convince American lobbyists to turn down money from Kremlin allies," POLITICO's Hailey Fuchs writes. "Even after the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and reports that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, the spigot of Russian money to K Street kept flowing." — "Over the past eight years, firms doing legal, lobbying, and PR work reported payments of roughly $18 million to do work for six Russian entities: Sberbank, Gazprombank, Nord Stream 2 AG, Vnesheconombank, VTB Bank , and the Russian Direct Investment Fund. Those six entities have now been targeted by sanctions from the Biden administration. And, virtually overnight, any remaining ties they had with D.C. lobbying shops have been severed." — "The termination of those contracts may be one of many ripple effects from the war currently being waged by Russia against Ukraine. But for good government advocates, it represents a potentially watershed moment on K Street, while posing a number of key questions: Why did it take sanctions to make the firms drop their clients and, if the administration lifts those sanctions, how long will it be before K Street jumps back in the game?" — "K Street firms who benefited from Russian cash over the past decade were not violating any law. It is proper for countries and companies of varying levels of nefariousness to purchase representation in the halls of Congress and the corridors of power in D.C., provided they abide by disclosure and ethics rules. The recent terminations of the contracts were in response to U.S. sanctions on those companies — not, necessarily, moral judgments that the firms themselves made about serving clients tied to Russian President Vladimir Putin . For that reason, lobbying experts suspect that the same Russian institutions will find representation once again from lobbying shops eager to accept their hefty payments when the sanctions are lifted." ANOTHER SANCTION-RELATED TERMINATION: BGR Government Affairs has ended its lobbying work for the real estate and construction firm Dana Holdings Limited , a Cyprus-based company the Biden administration hit with sanctions in August because of its owners' close ties to Belarus' strongman, President Alexander Lukashenko, a close Putin ally. — BGR was hired as a subcontractor to the law firm White & Case last February to monitor "U.S. government activity regarding Belarus," and ceased lobbying on July 31, according to termination documents filed last week. Dana Holdings was placed on Treasury's Specially Designated Nationals list, which blocks people and entities from doing business with American citizens, on Aug. 9, exactly a year after Lukashenko was reelected in a contest the U.S. said was rigged. — The Biden administration sanctioned Dana Holdings and three subsidiaries, which a Treasury Department announcement described collectively as a "construction empire that has received numerous extraordinary benefits, including gifts of plots of state land in Minsk, through presidential decrees signed by Lukashenka." BGR reported receiving $300,000 in lobbying fees from the firm for its five months of work. — White & Case declined to comment on a specific, current or former, client matter, but a spokesperson for the firm said it is reviewing their Russian and Belarusian client representations "and taking steps to exit some representations in accordance with applicable rules of professional responsibility. Our Moscow office is open and continues to operate. We are complying fully with all applicable sanctions, and we continue to closely monitor this rapidly evolving situation." DEMAND JUSTICE'S SCOTUS WAR CHEST: "Progressives are bringing a seven-figure budget and roster of top Democratic talent to their fight to confirm Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson," reports Axios' Lachlan Markay, who got a hold of liberal judicial advocacy group Demand Justice's applications for tax-exempt status. "While Jackson's confirmation is likely, both sides are looking to milk the process for every ounce of political advantage this midterm year." — "Demand Justice has already announced a $1 million ad campaign in support of Jackson and said it's prepared to spend much more ," enabled by a projected budget of "$7.5 million for 2022. An affiliated charity, the Demand Justice Initiative, will bring in $4.2 million, it told the IRS, and steer all of those funds to allied organizations — including its advocacy arm. Demand Justice previously operated under the auspices of the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a progressive 'fiscal sponsor,' but split from the group last year. Its IRS filings, which were obtained by the conservative group Americans for Public Trust and shared exclusively with Axios, reveal Demand Justice's internal structure and finances as an independent outfit." FLYING IN (VIRTUALLY): The Insured Retirement Institute, which represents life insurers, broker-dealer firms and asset management companies, kicks off its annual fly-in on Tuesday. The trade group's board of advisers has meetings slated with three dozen members of the House and Senate, including Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Reps. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) and Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), to push policies aimed at "address[ing] the retirement anxiety that many workers and retirees have about their ability to accumulate adequate savings to produce sustainable retirement income."
| | | |   | | | | | | — Wendy Parker Sussman has joined Johnson & Johnson's global government affairs and policy leadership team as the head of pharmaceuticals for U.S. federal affairs, serving as the primary liaison to PhRMA . She joins J&J from her previous role as vice president and head of U.S. health care government and public affairs at EMD Serono. — Former Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed has joined Squire Patton Boggs as a partner in the firm's global litigation practice. — Rob Damschen is joining Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's office as deputy communications director. He previously was vice president of strategic communications at the National Association of Manufacturers. — James Noe has joined Holland & Knight as a partner in the public policy and regulation group. He was previously a partner at Jones Walker. — Lauren Williams is joining Capital One's media relations and public affairs team. She currently is media relations strategy manager at the Credit Union National Association. — Tiffany Angulo is joining Targeted Victory as a vice president in the firm's new crypto practice. Angulo has spent the past decade on the Hill and is a Joint Economic Committee, David Schweikert and Jim Jordan alum, and helped establish the Congressional Blockchain Caucus. — Rick VanMeter is becoming executive director of the Coalition for App Fairness, replacing Meghan DiMuzio , who is leaving the organization. VanMeter previously led messaging and media relations efforts for the group. — Julie Okada is joining the Brunswick Group as partner and global head of learning and leadership development. She was previously a principal at Triad Consulting Group. — Jessica Carson is now senior director for psychology and curriculum at ZenBusiness. She most recently was senior director for innovation at the American Psychological Association, where she remains an innovation consultant. — Brook Taylor is now vice president for government relations and strategic partnerships for EV maker VinFast, Morning Transpo reports. Taylor previously managed regulatory affairs at Mercedes-Benz and also served as deputy director for business and economic development under California Gov. Jerry Brown. — Sara Spain is now national press secretary at EMILY's List, Playbook reports. She most recently was an account supervisor at BerlinRosen, and is a Hillary for America, Ted Strickland campaign and Tennessee Democratic Party alum. — Ascent Media is promoting Matthew Mazzone to partner and bringing on Caleb Fisher as vice president for creative strategy, per Playbook. Mazzone previously was senior vice president for creative strategy at Ascent. Fisher previously was digital director for the Senate Republican Conference, and is a House Republican Conference and Jodey Arrington alum. — Shadawn Reddick-Smith has joined Lyft, where she is handling policy communications. She previously was director of strategic communications at DHS.
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| | New Lobbying Registrations | | Arentfox Schiff LLP (Fka Arent Fox LLP): Infectious Diseases Society Of America
Bgr Government Affairs: Alliance For Regenerative Medicine
Bgr Government Affairs: Vitol Inc.
Dla Piper LLP (US): Iqvia Holdings, Inc.
Emmer Consulting, Inc. (Formerly Known As Emmer Consulting, P.C.): Digital Right To Repair Association Dba Right To Repair
Foley & Lardner LLP: New Fortress Energy Inc.
Holland & Knight LLP: Aleph Farms Ltd.
Lsn Partners, LLC: Viridi Parente, Inc.
Marshall & Popp, LLC: Verizon Communications, Inc.
Mcallister & Quinn, LLC: The Margolin Group On Behalf Of County Of Santa Clara
S-3 Group: Alliance To Modernize Prescribing Information
S-3 Group: Citizens For Responsible Energy Solutions
Strategies 360: University Of Alaska
The Fiorentino Group: Flagler Health
Van Scoyoc Associates: Heartland Solutions Group, Inc.
Velocity Government Relations, LLC: Astra Space Operations, Inc.
Velocity Government Relations, LLC: Nextgen Aeronautics, Inc.
Velocity Government Relations, LLC: North Valley Military Institute, Nvmi
Welsh Rose, LLC: Bluestone Strategies (On Behalf Of Apexhealth)
Welsh Rose, LLC: Bluestone Strategies (On Behalf Of Kaiser Foundation Health Plans)
Welsh Rose, LLC: Bluestone Strategies (On Behalf Of Serco Inc.)
Welsh Rose, LLC: Bluestone Strategies (On Behalf Of Valyrian Smoke LLC)
| | | | DON'T MISS POLITICO'S INAUGURAL HEALTH CARE SUMMIT ON 3/31: Join POLITICO for a discussion with health care providers, policymakers, federal regulators, patient representatives, and industry leaders to better understand the latest policy and industry solutions in place as we enter year three of the pandemic. Panelists will discuss the latest proposals to overcome long-standing health care challenges in the U.S., such as expanding access to care, affordability, and prescription drug prices. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | New Lobbying Terminations | | Forbes-Tate: American Seafoods Group LLC
Michael Torrey Associates, LLC: Pivot Bio
Strategies 360: Service Employees International Union 775 (Seiu 775)
Volansi, Inc.: Volansi, Inc.
| | A message from HCA Healthcare: Creating healthier tomorrows — that's the idea behind the HCA Healthcare Foundation's Healthier Tomorrow Fund. Launched in 2021, this $80 million community impact fund improves more lives in more ways by addressing high-priority community needs and health equity through grants to nonprofit organizations.
For more than 50 years, HCA Healthcare has been caring for the communities where our colleagues live and serve, and this fund further expands our organization's philanthropy.
To date, the fund has provided $4.5 million to 13 organizations, including the American Heart Association, Girl Scouts of the USA, Volunteers of America, Central Texas Allied Health Institute and Educate Texas. The foundation plans to distribute up to $8 million this year.
For our patients, for our communities, for each other. You can count on HCA Healthcare to show up. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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