| | | | | |  | | By Daniel Lippman and Caitlin Oprysko | | | FIRST IN PI: Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) didn’t disclose a meeting last October on his public calendar at a Boeing facility in Arizona that was attended by a registered lobbyist for the company, despite his promise to post details of his public schedule, Daniel reports. — The meeting came several months after President Joe Biden nominated Phil Washington — who was later endorsed by families who lost loved ones in a fatal Boeing 737 MAX crash — to lead the FAA. — Tester withheld public support for the nominee, hurting Washington’s momentum for confirmation. Washington eventually withdrew his nomination after it stalled amid concerns over his lack of aviation experience. — At the time, Tester was one of two senators on the Commerce Committee who caucus with Democrats — where the party holds a one-seat majority — who had yet to publicly disclose whether they would vote to advance Washington’s nomination to the floor, although Tester’s office contends that he told the Senate Commerce Committee privately in mid-March that he would support Washington if he had been brought up for a committee vote. — Months earlier, Tester, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, attended an October event at a Boeing facility hosted by the Mesa Chamber of Commerce's Mesa Industry and Defense Council in Arizona, according to a Facebook post by the organization. — But even though Tester has vowed to post his public schedule online to ensure transparency (one of the only senators to do so), the meeting was not mentioned on his public calendar for that month. At the meeting, according to a LinkedIn post about the event, was a state-registered lobbyist for Boeing: Mark Gaspers, senior manager for government operations at the company, along with other registered lobbyists for other entities. — Between Aug. 30 and Sept. 29, 11 Boeing lobbyists donated a total of $4,300 to Tester’s campaign, according to FEC records. Boeing’s corporate PAC has donated $15,000 to Tester’s leadership PAC over the past three years, and on March 13, Tester’s campaign committee received $1,000 from the Boeing PAC — its first donation to his campaign since 2011. Tester met with Boeing Defense, Space & Security President and CEO Ted Colbert the following day. — During the first quarter of 2023, Tester received $10,500 from lobbyists for Boeing, including three actively lobbying on FAA issues, getting $6,600 from Subject Matter’s Steve Elmendorf, who is working on the FAA reauthorization for Boeing; $2,900 from Subject Matter’s James Ryan, and $500 from Crossroads Strategies’ Marc Numedahl, who is among a team of 10 lobbyists at the firm working for Boeing. He also received $500 from former Rep. Norman Dicks (D-Wash.), another lobbyist for Boeing. — A spokesperson for the panel confirmed that Tester told the committee privately that he would have supported Washington in a committee vote. Asked why the event at the Boeing facility was not included on his official schedule, Tester spokesperson Sarah Feldman told PI: “This event was not organized by Senator Tester’s official office. Sen. Mark Kelly organized the event and Tester attended at his request when he visited Arizona last year.” — “The Mesa Chamber of Commerce hosted Sen. Tester at its Mesa Industry and Defense Council meeting to discuss trends in defense, workforce development and veterans issues,” a spokesperson for Boeing said in a statement. “Boeing provided a venue for the Chamber’s gathering and was not involved in event planning or coordination.” — “While Boeing never lobbied on Phil Washington’s nomination, we can confirm Sen. Tester did not express any concerns to us regarding the nomination,” the spokesperson added. Happy Wednesday and welcome to PI, where we’re pouring one out for the demise of the D.C. icon everyone loved to hate. Send K Street gossip: coprysko@politico.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.
| | A message from Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l: Lowering the bar on air safety could be a catastrophic mistake. America has the safest skies in the world because we have the toughest safety standards in the world. Yet, Congress is considering eroding those standards by weakening strong pilot training rules and introducing even more risk by raising the mandatory pilot retirement age. Learn more here. | | | ADDED DCA SLOTS SET TO ADVANCE: The push to add new slots at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport for long-haul flights is set to move forward in the House, helped along by American Airlines backing off its fervent opposition and Southwest Airlines throwing its support behind a proposal from Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah), our Alex Daugherty reports. — The House will vote on an amendment from Owens to its version of the FAA reauthorization bill that would add seven new openings for round-trip flights at DCA — one for each carrier that flies out of the airport — that is not subject to the airport’s 1,250-mile perimeter for direct flights. — That’s much lower than the 56 new flights a Delta Air Lines-backed coalition had initially pushed for, but the proposal’s chief corporate foe, United Airlines, along with DMV lawmakers who’ve threatened to hold up any bill with additional slots, remain opposed. — The lack of opposition from American Airlines is an abrupt reversal from just three days ago, when CEO Robert Isom joined chief executives from Alaska Airlines and United in a letter to top lawmakers warning that they were “strongly opposed to changes to the slot and perimeter rules at DCA.” FIRST IN PI — AMERICA RISING ALUMS LAUNCH FOIA FIRM: A pair of GOP oppo research veterans have launched a new shop focused on helping clients request and obtain public records, as such records become increasingly deployed in public affairs and political campaigns. Kyber Research will operate as a nonpartisan branch of Bullpen Strategy Group, the consultancy led by longtime Republican operative Joe Pounder that’s part of the GP3 Partners conglomerate of political firms. — The subsidiary will work with law firms, companies, hedge funds, nonprofits and more to help clients craft their requests for a range of records from court documents to tax filings and criminal records, as well as stand up their own internal records request programs. — Steering the effort will be two longtime fixtures in the world of conservative opposition research. Aaron Baer, who served as interim CEO of Republicans’ premiere oppo research outfit America Rising, will be managing director of Kyber Research. John Hines, another America Rising alum who also worked for Gingrich 360, the consultancy founded by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, will be a director at Kyber Research. — “Public records are a critical element to a range of research programs, including background checks, corporate due diligence, litigation support, and executive and organizational vetting,” Baer said in a statement. “Kyber Research has the experience, expertise, and nationwide ability to serve as a turn-key public records solution for our clients.” NEW BUSINESS: The golf industry’s lobbying arm has made its split with Guidepost Strategies official and added a new outside firm in the aftermath of one of Guidepost’s corporate siblings working for then-PGA Tour rival LIV Golf, according to newly filed disclosures. — The American Golf Industry Coalition, whose members include the PGA Tour, PGA of America, the U.S. Golf Association, the LPGA, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the National Golf Course Owners Association and more, has retained Prism Group to lobby for the “fair treatment of golf courses in domestic tax matters and small business issues,” according to a disclosure filing. — John Stanford, who will work on the account with Jay Perron, told our colleagues over at Morning Tax that the firm’s work will not include lobbying on the PGA Tour’s shock alliance with LIV, though congressional critics of the deal have sought to leverage the pending union to take aim at several of the industry’s tax breaks. The industry has also joined other pro sports leagues and fitness companies to push for a bill that would let people use pre-tax medical accounts to pay for fitness-related expenses. WHEN YOU’VE LOST THE ENERGY EXECS…: “Energy industry executives who backed former President Donald Trump are now shelling out cash to his competition,” E&E News’ Robin Bravender reports. — “Oil and gas magnate Harold Hamm donated to Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley. Pipeline mogul Kelcy Warren and Midland Energy Inc. CEO Syed Javaid Anwar contributed to DeSantis, too. Billionaire energy executive Jeffery Hildebrand is backing North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s campaign.” — “Coal executive Joe Craft and his wife, Kelly — who served as ambassador to the United Nations under Trump — have donated to DeSantis, Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy and Chris Christie. Meanwhile, none of those wealthy energy donors has cut Trump big checks for his 2024 campaign, according to campaign finance reports due Saturday. ‘The simple explanation is that Trump has issues,’ said Bill Miller, a longtime Texas lobbyist.” — “The GOP presidential primary is just getting underway, and deep-pocketed donors often spread their contributions around to multiple candidates early in the race. But early contributions from some of Trump’s former allies in the energy industry suggest that they’re looking to back the former president’s Republican competition heading into the 2024 election.” SPOTTED at a congressional briefing on health care workforce diversity hosted by the National Hispanic Medical Association, per a tipster: Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.), HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, Elena Rios, Sergio Rimola, Claudia Zamora and Art Motta of NHMA, Norma Poll-Hunter of the Association of American Medical Colleges, Noel Candelaria of the National Education Association, Luis Belén and Javier Cuebas of the National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved, Manuel Bonilla of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Ivelisse Porroa-Garcia of Crossroads Strategies, Alejandra Gepp of UnidosUS, Juan Amador of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science, Eliseo Pérez-Stable of NIH and Lester Martinez-Lopez of the Defense Department. — And at Arnold & Porter’s “summer soiree” to welcome former Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) to the firm: Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Ron Estes (R-Kan.), Bill Foster (D-Ill.), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Mark Pocan(D-Wis.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.), Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) and former Reps. Jim Moran and Tim Roemer. — And at a fundraiser last night for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries hosted by Capitol Counsel’s Lyndon Boozer and David Jones and Gerry Harrington of Capitol City Group, per a tipster: Reps. Rob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), Lisa Whisler, Monique Frazier, Ann Jablon, De'Ana Dow, Jeff Carroll, Drew Goesl and Martie Kendrick of Capitol Counsel, Rob Griner of U.S. Bank, Jessica Hall of the Consumer Bankers Association, Katreice Banks of AT&T, Nolen Bivens of Americans for the Arts, Kristin Solheim of the Investment Company Institute, Saif Inam of Capital One, Sandy Sussman of Pacific Life, Stephanie Peters of Microsoft, Michele Stanley of the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association, Steve Harrington of Edgewood Renewables, Elissa Levin of Vineyard Wind, Jim Rosapepe, Kevin Sexton of the Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association, Stuart Appelbaum of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, Adam Banig of United Mine Workers, Anthony Estreet of the National Association of Social Workers, Alan Wheat of Wheat Shroyer Government Relations, Reed Hundt of the Coalition for Green Capital, Robert Glennon of Hogan Lovells, Ashok Bajaj of Modena, Tasia Jackson and Wayne Williams of Jeffries’ office, Jonathan Bronstein and Marina Pearce of Jeffries’ campaign and Jess Vaughn of Magaziner's office.
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | | | | | — Kyle Gerron is now legislative affairs manager at the American Academy of Family Physicians, managing legislative affairs. He was most recently senior manager of government affairs at the Society of Interventional Radiology and is a Williams & Jensen alum. — Gayraud Townsend is now chief of staff at People for the American Way. He previously was CEO at Twenty Kemp Strategies. — Rich Dunn is now a partner at Guidant Polling and Strategy. He most recently was a managing director at FP1 Strategies and PLUS Communications, and is an NRCC and Tim Scott alum. — The American Bakers Association has promoted Christina Donnelly to senior director of industry relations and strategic initiatives. — The International Dairy Foods Association promoted four staffers: Michelle Albee Matto is now associate vice president for regulatory affairs and nutrition; Melissa Lembke is now associate vice president for programs and partnerships; Donald Grady is now senior director for legislative affairs; Tyesha Wilson is now director for financial services. — BGR Group has promoted Patrick Dolan to vice president, Ruth Osinski to senior director, Ellen Brown to senior policy analyst and Sam Teague to senior policy analyst. — The Managed Funds Association has added Georgette Sierra as vice president of U.S. government affairs.
| | | | A message from Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l:   | | | | | Sheehy Victory Committee (Tim Sheehy for Montana, Send in the Seal PAC, NRSC)
| | MAGA PAC (Super PAC)
| | New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS | | Accountable For Health, Inc.: Accountable For Health, Inc.
Alpine Group Partners, LLC.: Ellume USa
Altrius Group, LLC: Pharmaceutical Research And Manufacturers Of America
Arentfox Schiff LLP: Pave (Parents Amplifying Voices In Education)
Ballard Spahr LLP: Keybank
Bgr Government Affairs: Adarga
Bgr Government Affairs: Eurohold Bulgaria Ad
Bgr Government Affairs: Qualtrics LLC
Bolton-St. Johns, LLC: Casa, Inc.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: American Electric Power Service Corporation
Capitol Counsel LLC: Cmc Pharmaceuticals
Connections Health Solutions: Connections Health Solutions
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Merck & Company
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Panola Partnership, Inc.
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Pindrop Security, Inc.
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.: Yellow Creek State Inland Port
Cross Potomac Consulting LLC: Menet Aero
Foresight Law + Policy Pllc: Credential Engine
Holland & Knight LLP: Clark Street Associates On Behalf Of Biomason, Inc.
Holland & Knight LLP: Wateraid America
Jake Perry + Partners: Cyanco International, LLC
Jim Massie & Partners, LLC: International Liquid Terminals Association
Keys Group, LLC: Bion Environmental Technologies, LLC
Marla Grossman: Wilmerhale On Behalf Of Apple Inc.
Mayforth Group, LLC.: State Of Rhode Island
Mccarter & English, LLP: Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub
Mclarty Inbound LLC: Glencore Ltd.
Ml Strategies, LLC: Prokidney
Mr. Jaime Steve: Wasda - Water And Sewer Distributors Assoc.
Ms. Michelle Nawar: Bolton-St. Johns LLC On Behalf Of Casa, Inc.
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough: Axon Enterprise, Inc.
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough: Perspective Robotics Ag D/B/A Fotokite
Pioneer Public Affairs: Academy Of Nutrition & Dietetics
Pioneer Public Affairs: Zipongo, Inc. Dba Foodsmart
Prime Policy Group: Hardinge
Public Strategies Washington, Inc.: Adelphi Capital Partners
Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.: Provefrut
Shein Technology LLC: Shein Technology LLC
Tai Ginsberg & Associates, LLC: Environmental Investigation Agency
The Consilio Group: Cybercore International
The Consilio Group: Md-Bio
The Mckeon Group, Inc.: Synexxus
Thorn Run Partners: College Of Charleston
Thorn Run Partners: Custom Electronics Inc.
Thorn Run Partners: Oak Lodge Water Services
Todd Strategy Group: Cepheid
Todd Strategy Group: Cormedix Inc.
Todd Strategy Group: Exelixis, Inc.
Todd Strategy Group: Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Todd Strategy Group: Genmab
Trusynergy: Burrell International Group LLC (On Behalf Of Shionogi Inc.)
Trusynergy: Burrell International Group (On Behalf Of Arsenal Medical, Inc.)
Venable LLP: Cibc Bancorp USa
Venable LLP: Find - Foundation For Innovative New Diagnostics
Versant Strategies LLC (Formerly Known As Wolff Strategies, LLC.): River Valley School District
Winning Strategies Washington: Township Of Berkeley Heights
| | | | STEP INSIDE THE GOLDEN STATE POLITICAL ARENA: YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST … Add California Playbook to your daily reading to keep up with the latest political news and policy moves from deep inside the power centers at the heart of the world’s fourth largest economy. Authors Lara Korte and Dustin Gardiner take you inside the state Capitol and governor's mansion in Sacramento, the mayor’s office and City Council and Los Angeles, and the most influential rooms in Silicon Valley and deliver buzzy scoops and behind-the-scenes details that you simply will not get anywhere else. Subscribe today and stay ahead of the game! | | | | | | | New Lobbying Terminations | | | Alpine Group Partners, LLC.: Acxiom LLC
Alpine Group Partners, LLC.: Mindbloom, Inc.
Alpine Group Partners, LLC.: Nextnav, LLC
Altrius Group, LLC: Central American Sugar Association (Aica)
Atlantic Strategies Group: Addman Engineering
Avise Solutions: Team Hallahan On Behalf Of National Resources Defense Council Action Fund, Inc
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Hitachi Vantara (Formerly Known As Hitachi Data Systrems)
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Pigeonly
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: Rekor Systems, Inc.
Berquam Ventures, LLC: Team Hallahan On Behalf Of National Resources Defense Council Action Fund, Inc
Bgr Government Affairs: Gramercy Funds Management, LLC
Bgr Government Affairs: North America'S Building Trades Unions
Blank Rome Government Relations: Embraer Aircraft Holding, Inc.
Blank Rome Government Relations: Stabbert Maritime
Bromelkamp Government Relations, LLC: Lattice Materials LLC
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Crowell & Moring LLP Obo Victims Of State Sponsored Terrorism
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Fmr LLCBrownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Free File, Inc.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Freeport Lng Expansion
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Sparkcognition Government Systems, Inc.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Standard General
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: United States Cannabis Council Fra Cannabis Trade Federation
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Vizsafe, Inc.
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney Pc: Uv Defense, Lcc
Capitol Associates, Inc.: Confluence Health And Affiliates (Fna) Wenatchee Valley Medical Center
Capitol Transportation Consulting: Sullivan Strategies On Behalf Of Aeye
Cardinal Point Partners: Paragon Solutions, Inc.
Congaree River Group LLC: Wejo Data Services, Incorporated
Creative Government Solutions LLC: Alaska Federation Of Natives
David Radi: Iap Worldwide Services, Inc.
Da Vinci Group: Celularity, Inc.
Desimone Consulting, LLC: Washington State Department Of Natural Resources
Fgs Global (US) LLC (Fka Fgh Holdings LLC): Major League Baseball Players Association (Mlbpa)
Forethought Advisors, LLC: Actum I, LLC On Behalf Of Consolidated Safety Services, Inc.
Health Policy Source, Inc.: Lirio
Hill East Group, LLC: Zimperium, Inc.
Husch Blackwell Strategies: Cassidy & Associates On Behalf Of Doe Run Company
Husch Blackwell Strategies: Cassidy & Associates On Behalf Of Eaglepicher Technologies LLC
Husch Blackwell Strategies: Congaree River Group LLC (Obo Wejo Data Services, Inc.)
Husch Blackwell Strategies: Csmi, LLC
Kd Government Relations, LLC: 340B Health
Kd Government Relations, LLC: Health Industry Distributors Association
Marla Grossman: Covington & Burling On Behalf Of Apple Inc.
Mayer Brown LLP: Asociacion Nacional De Avicultores Y Productores De Alimentos
Mccarter & English, LLP: Science In Donation
Mercury Public Affairs, LLC: Signature Flight Support
Prime Policy Group: City Of Indianapolis Department Of Public Works
Prime Policy Group: Cobalt Institute
Prime Policy Group: Otl Firearms And Imports Corporation
Prime Policy Group: Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency
Rutledge Policy Group, LLC: Pfizer, Inc.
Scofes & Associates Consulting Inc: US Worldmeds LLC
Steptoe & Johnson LLP: Air Products And Chemicals, Inc.
Steptoe & Johnson LLP: Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc.
Steptoe & Johnson LLP: Fluor Corporation
Steptoe & Johnson LLP: North American Lead Battery Recycling Coalition
Steptoe & Johnson LLP: W. L. Gore & Associates
Strategic Marketing Innovations: Spacex
The Livingston Group, LLC: Baldrige Foundation
The Vogel Group: Forest Landowners Association
The Vogel Group: Lasko Products, LLC
The Vogel Group: Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Townsend Public Affairs, Inc: City Of Beaumont
Townsend Public Affairs, Inc: City Of Huntington Beach
Townsend Public Affairs, Inc: Global Clean Energy
Townsend Public Affairs, Inc: Merced Union High School District
Van Scoyoc Associates: University Of Wyoming
Williams And Jensen, Pllc: Otc Markets
Wise Capital Strategy, LLC: Citizens For Responsible Energy Solutions (Cres)
| | A message from Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l: “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it” applies here. Congress should not weaken air safety standards. In the wake of a series of tragic airline accidents, Congress passed the most effective aviation safety law of this century, adopting a comprehensive set of requirements to improve training for pilots that have reduced air fatalities by 99.8%. Now, some in Congress want to weaken those standards and introduce even more risk into the system by raising the mandatory pilot retirement age. Don’t compromise safety, introduce more risk or upend flight operations. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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