Lobbying

Bottom Line: Deloitte hires former House Appropriations member

by Taylor Giorno - 08/29/23 6:00 AM ET

Greg Nash
A K St. banner is seen in downtown Washington, D.C., on Monday, January 30, 2023.

Tax

Deloitte hired Hobart Hallaway & Quayle Ventures to lobby on issues affecting tax and accounting professionals, including appropriations and tax policy. One of the lobbyists on the account is former Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.), who served in Congress from 2011 to 2019 and was a member of the House Appropriations Committee throughout his tenure.

Credit cards

Mastercard hired Tower 19 to lobby on policies including the Credit Card Competition Act, Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) bill that could challenge what he has called the “Visa-Mastercard duopoly” in the credit card network market. Opponents say the bill could throttle popular rewards programs, compromise security and boost the bottom lines of big retailers. Jed Bhuta, who previously worked as legislative director for former Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), will lobby on the account.

Noise

The City of Atlantis, Fla., hired Genesis Partners Palm Beach to lobby on issues related to the safety and noise impacts on communities adjacent to the Lantana Airport. One of the lobbyists on the account is former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.), who resigned from Congress in 2006 amid revelations he sent sexually explicit messages to male congressional pages.

Financial regulations

Americans for Financial Reform hired TheGROUP DC to monitor issues related to funding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in October on a case that could subject the agency’s funding to congressional appropriations. Some Republicans argue appropriations are crucial for agency accountability, while critics warn it could be used to gut the CFPB. Jorge “Georgie” Aguilar, who worked for former House Speaker and current Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for almost a decade, will work on the account.

China

Ninestar Corporation, a printer cartridge manufacturer, hired Sidley Austin to lobby on issues related to the implementation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act and Chinese investments in the United States. One of the lobbyists on the account is Michael Borden, former senior counsel on the House Financial Services Committee.

Fuel

Nacero hired Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher for outreach on loans and tax credits related to sustainable aviation fuel. Roscoe Jones, former chief of staff to Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), will work on the account.