Erin Pelton joined e-commerce company Shopify as vice president of communications and public affairs. Pelton most recently served as special assistant to President Biden and chief of staff at the White House Domestic Policy Council. Reggie McCrimmon joined Google as government affairs and public policy manager. McCrimmon most recently was public policy manager at Twitter…
Author: Karl Evers-Hillstrom
Railroad workers prepared to strike next month: survey
More than 9 in 10 freight railroad workers believe they should go on strike to secure better wages and working conditions, according to a new online survey. The poll results appear to contradict rail union leaders who have downplayed the possibility of a lockout, which could inflict huge damage on the U.S. economy that is…
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INTERNATIONAL Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf hired Hobart Hallaway & Quayle Ventures to lobby on issues related to professional golf in the U.S. and enabling professional golfers to play when and where they choose. Former Rep. Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.) will work on the account. ENERGY Pipeline operator The Williams Companies hired VNF Solutions to lobby on…
Democrats peg inflation to corporate greed on campaign trail
Democrats are vowing to crack down on corporate greed and price gouging on the campaign trail as the party aims to quell voters’ concerns over decades-high inflation. Economists widely view supply and demand as the driving force behind the cost of goods and services, not arbitrary price hikes. But Democrats point to the fact that…
How will Biden’s student loan plan impact inflation?
President Biden announced on Wednesday an executive order to cancel at least $10,000 in federal student debt per borrower and extend a payment freeze through the end of the year. The plan has come under fire from some high-profile economists, including former Obama economic advisers Jason Furman and Larry Summers, who said that it will…
Lobbying world
Antonia Ferrier joined the International Republican Institute as vice president for external affairs. Ferrier previously served as staff director for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and most recently was chief strategy and communications officer at the CGCN Group. Meta hired Blake Peterson to its content policy regulation team. Peterson, a longtime State Department staffer,…
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ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT Panasonic Corp. of North America hired Monument Advocacy to lobby on issues related to electric vehicle battery manufacturing and development in the U.S. Tim Punke, former international trade counsel in the Clinton White House, will work on the account. The Kraft Heinz Foods Co. hired Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck to lobby on tax incentives, trade sanctions, labor, climate change…
Lobbying world
SKDK named Doug Thornell as its next chief executive officer. Thornell joined the consulting firm in 2011 as managing director. He previously was a senior adviser at the Democratic National Committee and national press secretary at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Linda Lourie joined WestExec Advisors as a senior adviser. Lourie most recently served as…
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HEALTH CARE Bayer Corp. hired Williams and Jensen to lobby on issues related to contraception access, drug pricing and Medicare coverage policies. Former Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-N.Y.), who also served as acting chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, will work on the account. Nestle USA hired Rampy Northrup LLC to lobby on issues…
On The Money — Housing market shows signs of weakness
Homebuilder sentiment continues to decline as demand for houses is hurt by high prices and interest rates. We’ll also look at Biden’s upcoming signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, more gas price predictions and the partisan battle over additional IRS funding. But first, learn more about the spike in FBI threats following the Trump raid. Welcome to…