Bottom Line

• TELECOMMUNICATIONS. New Jersey-based information and telecommunications company Comodo Group recently hired Mercury Public Affairs to work on matters with the Federal Communications Commission regarding the automatic telephone dialing system issue. Former Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) will work on the account, according to filings.

• DEFENSE. The Kenific Group, a government contracting firm, hired ATS Communications to work on general defense contracting issues. Alexander Silbey, who was a senior policy adviser to House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), will work on the account. ATS Communications, and Silbey specifically, were also hired by aerospace and defense firm Meggitt USA to work on defense authorization and appropriations and by LeoLabs to work on defense and NASA issues and appropriations. LeoLabs is a California-based company that works to protect satellites and other commercial operations in low Earth orbit.

{mosads}• EDUCATION. Seventh Street Strategies was signed by Education Reform Now, an education advocacy group, to work on the Access, Success and Persistence in Reshaping Education Act, known as the ASPIRE Act. Amanda Miller, who has worked at Teach for America, for former Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and in the Justice Department under former President Obama, will work on the account.

• MEDICAL DEVICES. California-based medical diagnostic device research and development company HeartFlow hired Kenneth G. Lee Consulting to work on reimbursement and coverage of diagnostic devices in Medicare and other government health care systems, according to filings. Kenneth Lee, the firm’s founder and CEO, will work on the account.

• HEALTH CARE. California-based life science company Gilead Sciences hired Tarplin, Downs & Young, which focuses on health care policy, to work on issues related to HIV/AIDS and Medicaid, among other issues. Raissa Downs and Jennifer Young, both former aides at the Department of Health and Human Services, will work on the account, as will Michelle Easton, former chief health counsel for the Senate Finance Committee. 

— Alex Gangitano