Bottom Line

• BEVERAGE INDUSTRY. Top Democratic lobbyists are helping a premier California coffee brand. Peet’s Coffee & Tea has hired Heather Podesta + Partners to “educate policymakers regarding the coffee industry,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Heather Podesta, former counsel to the late Rep. Bob Matsui (D-Calif.), and Mary Beth Stanton, once legislative assistant to former Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), are lobbying for the company, which is converting several Caribou Coffee locations in Washington, D.C. into Peet’s branches.

• CONSUMER ISSUES. The Natural Products Association has signed up with the Keelen Group to lobby on “Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act, Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, Free Speech About Science Act, genetically modified organism labeling, and issues related to the regulation of food, dietary supplements, and other natural products.” Stephen Borg, once deputy chief of staff to former Rep. Tim Johnson (R-Ill.), and Matt Keelen are lobbying for the trade group.

{mosads}• FINANCIAL SERVICES. Ferguson Strategies has contracted with Nasdaq OMX Group, owner of the NASDAQ exchange, to lobby on issues such as conflict minerals regulation, immigration visas, cybersecurity and tax reform. Chris Jones, once chief of staff to former Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-N.J.), and Adam Higgins, a former legislative assistant to Ferguson, are representing the company. A number of firms, including Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck; and Porterfield, Lowenthal, Fettig & Sears, also lobby for Nasdaq.

• TAX. Gregg Hartley’s new firm, Cloakroom Advisers, has signed up with his former employer, Cassidy & Associates, to lobby for a number of clients, including Expedia Inc. The former chief of staff to then-Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) will be lobbying for the online travel company on the “occupancy tax.” Hartley’s firm will also be lobbying for Cassidy on behalf of Cerner Corp., Doe Run Co. and LakeShore TolTest Corp.

• TECHNOLOGY. The Web review site Yelp has brought on its first lobby firm, Bloom Strategic Counsel. Seth Bloom, once general counsel to the Senate Antitrust subcommittee, is lobbying for the company on “antitrust and competition issues affecting the Internet.” Yelp registered its first in-house lobbyist late last year.