Bottom Line: Crypto giant Binance adds more lobbyists

Financial Services

Binance Holdings hired Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher to lobby on crypto industry issues. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission recently sued Binance over alleged violations of trading laws, while federal officials are investigating whether the popular crypto exchange facilitated money laundering. Roscoe Jones, former chief of staff to Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) and a Justice Department alumnus, will work on the account.

Truist Financial Corp. hired Todd Strategy Group to lobby on banking regulatory reform issues. Federal Reserve officials have said it needs to set tougher standards to prevent additional bank collapses. Ted Lehman, former chief of staff to Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), will work on the account. 

Energy and Environment

The American Forest and Paper Association hired the Earth & Water Group to lobby on the Environmental Protection Agency’s listing of PFAS as Superfund hazardous substances. Susan Bodine, former assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, will work on the account.

Harley-Davidson Motor Co. hired Subject Matter to lobby on issues related to transportation, consumer finance, trade and electric vehicles. Keith Castaldo, former general counsel to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), will work on the account.

Nominations

Roger Nyhus, a Seattle business leader, hired K&L Gates to lobby on his nomination as ambassador to Caribbean nations. President Biden nominated Nyhus in September. Tim ​Peckinpaugh, a longtime partner at the firm, will work on the account.

Technology

Afiniti, a company that implements artificial intelligence as part of companies’ call centers, hired Chartwell Strategy Group to lobby on AI issues. David Tamasi, a major fundraiser for former President Trump, will work on the account.

Appropriations

The ​Polaris Project, a nonprofit fighting human trafficking in North America, hired McCartin Public Policy Group to lobby for federal funding for the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Muftiah McCartin, former staff director on the House Rules Committee, will work on the account.

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