Bottom Line: Norfolk Southern adds lobbying firepower

Transportation

Norfolk Southern hired the Klein/Johnson Group to lobby on rail and surface transportation issues. Izzy Klein, former senior communications adviser to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), will work on the account. The hire comes as Congress considers legislation to place new safety requirements on the freight rail industry following last month’s devastating Norfolk Southern derailment. 

Technology 

Google hired Ryan Costello Strategies to lobby on issues related to openness and competition in online services and devices, and privacy and data security issues. Former Rep. Ryan Costello (R-Pa.), who served two terms in Congress, will lobby on Google’s behalf. Google is facing an antitrust lawsuit accusing the tech giant of monopolizing the online ad market. 

TikTok hired AND Partners to lobby on regulation of content platforms and internet technology issues. Ankit Desai, who briefly served as a staffer for then-Sen. Biden in 2005, will work on the account. The hugely popular social media platform faces the threat of a ban as lawmakers and Biden administration officials remain wary of its ties to the Chinese government.   

Video game developer Riot Games hired Subject Matter to lobby on data security, privacy and content moderation issues. Cedric Grant, former chief of staff to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), will work on the account. 

Telecommunications

DirecTV hired Schaerr Jaffe to lobby on issues related to carriage agreements. The television provider has engaged in contract disputes with several channels and recently ended a months-long battle with Newsmax. Mark Paoletta, former GOP chief counsel for the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s oversight panel, will work on the account. 

The National Association of Broadcasters hired KED Strategies to lobby on tax and spectrum issues. Mary Dietrich, former chief of staff to Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), will work on the account. 

Energy

Southern Company hired Cassidy & Associates to lobby on electric grid reliability issues. John Dearborn, former Republican senior counsel on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, will work on the account.

Bottom Line is a weekly column documenting lobbying contracts filed with Congress.