Lobbying

Bottom Line: Samsung lobbies up on semiconductor, tax issues

by Taylor Giorno - 10/24/23 6:00 AM ET

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

Semiconductors

Samsung Semiconductor Inc. hired Covington & Burling LLP to lobby on issues including the advanced manufacturing investment credit, which incentivizes domestic semiconductor production. The firm will also focus on the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act, which the Senate Finance Committee unanimously advanced in mid-September, less than a week before the effective lobbying registration date. Ed McClellan, former tax counsel on the Senate Finance Committee, will work on the account.

Energy

The American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) hired Gray Global Advisors to lobby on policy issues related to energy infrastructure and climate. Former Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), former chairman of the House Oversight Committee, will work on the account.

Taxes and finance

Intuit hired The Duberstein Group to lobby on issues related to artificial intelligence, data privacy and intellectual property. Intuit owns QuickBooks, Mint, Credit Karma, MailChimp and TurboTax, the popular tax preparation service that could be destabilized by the free online tax-filing pilot program the IRS said it plans to launch during the 2024 tax season. Elizabeth Kelley, who was a special assistant to former President Obama and chief of staff on the National Economic Council, will work on the account.

Mindset Advocacy also registered to lobby on behalf of Intuit on a range of issues, including an open banking framework and expanded access to bank capital. Several former House Financial Services Committee aides will work on the account, including Lisa Peto, former chief counsel to the committee under then-chairwoman and current ranking member Maxine Waters (D-Calif.).

Oversight

The Concord Fund, the “dark money” group better known as the Judicial Crisis Network, hired OnMessage Public Strategies to lobby on issues related to government oversight and reform. The registration marks an expansion in political advocacy by the network linked to conservative judicial activist Leonard Leo and comes amid efforts to enact a code of conduct for the Supreme Court. The lobbyist on the account is Thomas Binion, who was legislative director to former Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa).