News: Who cut checks to Manchin last quarter

Friday, July 15, 2022

Who cut checks to Manchin last quarter

Jul 15, 2022

Presented by the Semiconductor Industry Association

With Daniel Lippman

WHO CUT CHECKS TO MANCHIN LAST QUARTER: Sen. Joe Manchin's rejection of Democratic plans to forge ahead with a reconciliation package centered around climate and tax reform ahead of the August recess prompted anger and shock from Democratic colleagues and activists alike.

— While the West Virginia Democrat negotiated behind closed doors with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to find agreement on a skinnier party-line bill, Manchin continued to rake in thousands from executives and corporations whose industries could be altered or who, as billionaires, could face higher taxes under such a package, according to a campaign finance report filed today.

— Manchin, who chairs the Senate Energy Committee, has long been a top recipient of campaign contributions from the energy sector, and last quarter's campaign finance data shows that trend has continued. The senator received donations from executives at Georgia Power , including the utility's CFO Aaron Abramovitz, and from Dominion Energy CEO Robert Blue.

— Energy services firm Concord Energy CEO Matthew Flavin gave Manchin the maximum allowable amount of $5,800, as did Southern Company Gas CEO Kim Greene and Harvest Midstream CEO Jason Rebrook. Southern Company's chair and CEO Chris Cummiskey gave Manchin $2,000, while three other company executives gave at least $1,000. An in-house lobbyist for the company donated $1,000 as well. Kara G. Moriarty, president of the Alaska Oil & Gas Association, gave $1,000, too, along with two executives from the energy storage company Form Energy.

— Manchin also took in more than $19,000 from political action committees belonging to fossil fuel or energy companies and their trade groups, including the Coterra Energy, NextEra Energy, North American Coal Corp., the American Exploration & Production Council's PAC. The PACs for private equity giant the Carlyle Group and AT&T contributed $10,000 and $5,000, respectively.

— Business magnate Bill Gates gave Manchin $2,900, as did former Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides and Morris Goldfarb, whose G-III Apparel Group owns brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, DKNY and Karl Lagerfeld.

— A number of high-powered executives maxed out to Manchin between April and June, including banker Warren Stephens, hotel executive Tom Baltimore, Motorola CEO Greg Brown, Home Depot CEO Edward Decker, Yum! Brands CEO David Gibbs, Gillette CEO James Kilt and Robert Kraft and his son Jonathan.

— On K Street, a number of in-house lobbyists as well as hired guns wrote checks to the senator. Michael Torrey Associates' Michael Torrey, the American Council on Renewable Energy's Allison Nyholm, ConocoPhillips' Andrew Lundquist, Jim Massie & Partners' Tara Billingsley and Dentons' Linda Willard all gave $1,000. McLarty Associates' Mack McLarty maxed out to Manchin, while Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld's Arshi Siddiqui contributed $1,500.

Happy Friday and welcome to PI. What's going on out there? My inbox is wide open for your hot tips, gossip and more: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.

A message from the Semiconductor Industry Association:

America has a semiconductor problem: While global demand for chips is rapidly rising, the U.S. share of global chip production is sharply declining. Recognizing the strategic importance of semiconductors, other countries have invested boldly to boost their chip production and innovation. Congress must rise to this challenge by funding the CHIPS Act and enacting the FABS Act investment tax credit for chip manufacturing and design. Learn about the impact of strengthening U.S. semiconductor leadership.

ENFAMIL MAKER REGISTERS TO LOBBY: Mead Johnson, the company behind the baby formula Enfamil, has registered its first in-house lobbyist to work on issues related to the nationwide formula shortage, according to disclosures filed Thursday.

— Audrae Erickson, the vice president of global external and public affairs for parent company Reckitt, began lobbying on May 1 for a temporary suspension of tariffs on infant formula base powder and on the usage of WIC benefits online, the disclosure says. (Reckitt last month won FDA approval to import 66 million servings of formula from a facility in Singapore.)

— Mead Johnson typically spends relatively little on federal lobbying, as PI noted in May. Last year, it paid a team of lobbyists at former Sen. Blanche Lincoln's firm $200,000 to lobby on trade issues. It spent another $60,000 on lobbying in the first quarter of this year.

CHINA DRONE MAKER LOBBIES TO GET OFF U.S. BLACKLIST: "China's blacklisted DJI is battling to maintain its dominance of the US drone market by lobbying Congress to block a bill barring the federal government from buying its unmanned aircraft," the Financial Times' Demetri Sevastopulo reports.

— "The Shenzhen-based company has hired two lobbying firms — Squire Patton Boggs and the Vogel Group — to persuade members of Congress not to back the American Security Drone Act, which forbids the government from buying drones from Chinese firms or others viewed as posing a risk to national security."

— "Donald Trump 's administration in 2018 placed the group on the 'entity list,' a blacklist that effectively prevents it from buying US technology. President Joe Biden last year added DJI to the 'Chinese military-industrial complex companies' list, a group of entities in which Americans are prohibited from investing."

— "DJI is working to derail congressional efforts that would hit its business in the US. The ADSA would also prohibit US local law enforcement from using federal grants to buy its drones. According to OpenSecrets, which tracks lobbying spending, DJI has spent almost $4mn since the start of 2018."

— "DJI hired Squire Patton Boggs, a lobbying powerhouse, in April after the House passed the almost 3,000-page America Competes Act, a bill aimed at boosting US competitiveness against China that included the ASDA. But as lawmakers struggle to reconcile House and Senate versions of the big China bills due to a separate dispute, the DJI battle has shifted to the annual defence spending bill working its way through Congress."

GOP AGs GROUP DRAWS BIG-NAME BRANDS TO FUNDRAISING RETREAT: "The Republican Attorneys General Association is hosting a private retreat for its corporate donors at a luxury resort in Florida this weekend — on the heels of the GOP's long-sought win in getting Roe v. Wade overturned by the Supreme Court," per CNBC 's Brian Schwartz.

— "Nearly 20 corporations and trade groups are said to have RSVP'd to attend the three-day retreat, including lobbyists and executives from CNBC's corporate parent Comcast, Match Group, General Motors, Johnson & Johnson, Anheuser-Busch, Juul Labs, Koch Industries, Lowe's and Walmart , according to a list of expected attendees obtained by CNBC."

— "The retreat is to take place as the group seeks more donations to fend off legal attacks from Democrats seeking to protect abortion rights," while PI reported Thursday that the group's Democratic counterpart narrowly outraised RAGA during the second quarter.

— "Lobbying giant Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America , or PhRMA, and the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, a business legal advocacy group, are also listed as set to attend the upcoming retreat." And "though it's unclear how much each corporation donated to attend the event, an outline within the group's 2022 membership packet suggests it may cost up to $250,000."

A message from the Semiconductor Industry Association:

WE HEAR THE SPACE NEEDLE'S OVERRATED ANYWAY: "Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY., met with Microsoft President Brad Smith last week while visiting Washington state and discussed bipartisan tech antitrust legislation that Schumer is expected to bring up for a vote later this summer," FedScoop's Nihal Krishan reports.

— "The top Democrat, who is in charge of the Senate's agenda, discussed policy with Smith including two bills that are making their way through Congress right now related to increasing Big Tech competition, the journalism industry, and data privacy, four sources familiar with the meeting told FedScoop."

— "If they become law, the bills discussed during the meeting could force Microsoft and other big tech vendors to change how they operate in consumer and federal markets. … Schumer was spotted in Bellevue, Washington last week and is expected to have traveled to the state to meet with tech executives like Smith and for fundraising purposes," which prompted the digital rights advocacy group Fight for the Future to call on Schumer to disclose "'dark money' or hidden funds that he and other Democrats have received from Big Tech companies like Microsoft in order to remove the appearance of any conflict of interest."

CORRECTION: Thursday's Influence misstated the period during which the Democratic Attorneys General Association reported raising $3.8 million. It was the first quarter of 2022. PI regrets the error.

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Jobs Report

— Shon Manasco, former assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs, has joined Palantir as a senior counselor.

— Venn Strategies promoted Kevin Dowling to senior vice president. He was previously a vice president in the tax and financial services practice and is a Lee Zeldin alum.

— Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush has been named president and CEO of the Interfaith Alliance.

— Rachel Weiss is joining Arnold Ventures as vice president of advocacy for health care. She previously was director of comms in HHS' Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs.

— Winnebago Industries has promoted Chad Reece to vice president of government and industry relations. He was previously director of corporate relations.

New Joint Fundraisers

SAVE ARIZONA 2022 (Save America, Kari Lake for Arizona, Blake Masters for Senate, Take Back Arizona PAC)
Beasley Demings Victory Fund (Reps. Cheri Beasley, Val Demings, North Carolina Democratic Party - Federal)
Zinke Victory Fund (Zinke for Congress, Montana Republican State Central Committee, NRCC)

New PACs

For A Better Illinois (Super PAC)
Iranian American Democrats of California PAC (PAC)
Montanans Against Corruption in Congress (Super PAC)

HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ROE BEING OVERTURNED? JOIN WOMEN RULE ON 7/21: Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade , abortion policy is in the hands of the states and, ultimately, voters. Join POLITICO national political correspondent Elena Schneider for a Women Rule "ask me anything" conversation featuring a panel of reporters from our politics and health care teams who will answer your questions about how the court's decision could play out in different states, its impact on the midterms and what it means for reproductive rights in the U.S. going forward. SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS AND REGISTER HERE.

New Lobbying Registrations

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Bradley Lane Investment Company
Banner Public Affairs, LLC: Batteries Plus LLC.
Banner Public Affairs, LLC: Metropolitan Washington Council Of Governments
Bgr Government Affairs: 7 Eleven, Inc.
Bgr Government Affairs: Cdr Maguire
Bgr Government Affairs: Lucid Circuit
Bgr Government Affairs: Urogen Pharma, Inc.
Bracewell LLP: Breastfeeding And Infant Development Support Alliance (Informal Coalition)
Cfm Strategic Communications (Conkling Fiskum & Mccormick): Damera Bus Sales Canada
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Samsung Semiconductor, Inc.
Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: American Institute Of Steel Construction
Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: Global Medical Response
Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: Sachem, Inc.
Holland & Knight LLP: Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. And Affiliates
Invariant LLC: Jones Fortuna Lp On Behalf Of Georgia Water Supply Providers
Invariant LLC: Northern Pacific Airways, Inc.
King & Spalding LLP: Iothic, Ltd
King & Spalding LLP: Iothic, Ltd
Mcdermott+Consulting LLC: American Academy Of Ophthalmology
Mcdermott+Consulting LLC: Maimonides Medical Center
Mead Johnson & Company, LLC: Mead Johnson & Company, LLC
Nancy Zirkin: The Raben Group On Behalf Of Committee For A Fair Judiciary
Phoenix Strategies Inc. - A Contract: US Black Chambers, Inc.
Squire Patton Boggs: Lassen Peak, Inc.
Thomas Advisors, Inc: National Electrical Manufacturers Association
Waxman Strategies: Natural Resources Defense Council

New Lobbying Terminations

Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP: Chargepoint, Inc.
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP: Pharmacosmos Therapeutics Inc.
Bgr Government Affairs: Do & Co New York Catering, Inc.
Bgr Government Affairs: Nektar Therapeutics
Bgr Government Affairs: Piper Networks
Bose Public Affairs Group: Collaborative For Academic, Social, And Emotional Learning
Bose Public Affairs Group: Committee For Children
Connect 4 Strategies, LLC: Alpha-1 Foundation
Dutko Worldwide, LLC: Blue Star Strategies, LLC, On Behalf Of Aspect Holdings, LLC
Dutko Worldwide, LLC: Central Wasatch Commission
Dutko Worldwide, LLC: Farmington, Utah
Dutko Worldwide, LLC: Idmts, LLC
Dutko Worldwide, LLC: Live Earth Imaging, Inc.
Dutko Worldwide, LLC: Olx Global B.V.
Dutko Worldwide, LLC: USa Bobsled/Skeleton
Invariant LLC: Scs Global
Invariant LLC: Verifone
Lne Group: Central Maine Healthcare
Lne Group: Sisters Of Charity Foundation Of Cleveland
Mcdermott+Consulting LLC: High-Throughput Diagnostic Testing Coalition
Mcguirewoods Consulting (A Subsidiary Of Mcguirewoods LLP): Inovio Pharmaceuticals
Mcguirewoods Consulting (A Subsidiary Of Mcguirewoods LLP): Phc Holdings, LLC
Owen Evans Ingols: City Of San Francisco (Water And Power Division)
Porterfield, Fettig & Sears, LLC: Sight Sciences
Squire Patton Boggs: Americans For Carbon Dividends
Squire Patton Boggs: Danaher Corporation
Squire Patton Boggs: Discovery Communications LLC (Fka Discovery Communications)
Strategic Marketing Innovations: Fdh Velocitel (Fka Fdh, Inc.)
Strategic Marketing Innovations: Tn Exploration, LLC
Syl Alliance, LLC: Hemlock Court Holdings Corp.
The Bridge Advisory Group: Skydex Technologies, Inc.
The Normandy Group, LLC: Medable
Waxman Strategies: Sierra Club
Whitmer & Worrall, LLC: Target Hospitality Corporation
Wynne Health Group: Phreesia, Inc.

A message from the Semiconductor Industry Association:

With demand for semiconductors exploding, it's not a question of whether chip companies will invest in new manufacturing, design, and research, but rather where they will invest. Every day that passes is another day America risks falling behind global competitors in semiconductors and the many technologies they enable. To meet this challenge, Congress must swiftly pass competitiveness legislation that funds the CHIPS Act and includes a FABS Act investment tax credit for semiconductor manufacturing and design. The clock is ticking, and the time to act is now. Let's get this legislation across the finish line and ensure a better, brighter American future built on semiconductors.