Bottom Line: Northwestern lobbied up ahead of House antisemitism hearing

Higher education

Northwestern University hired Harbinger Strategies to lobby on issues related to “Congressional oversight of Institutions of Higher Education” two weeks before university President Michael Schill appeared before a House committee for a hearing on antisemitism on college campuses. John Leganski, most recently former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) deputy chief of staff, is one of the lobbyists on the account.

Northwestern brokered an agreement with pro-Palestinian organizers to deescalate the demonstrations that had boiled over on other campuses. Schill defended his university’s decision to engage in dialogue rather than force during the House Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing on May 23.

“I knew at the time that there would be criticism of this judgment, and I understand and accept those criticisms, but I also believed, and continue to believe, that this option provided the clearest and safest path forward,” Schill said during his opening statement.

Technology

​Linktree hired Bockorny Group to lobby on the concerns of content creators, who use the social media landing page to direct followers to associated links, shops, profiles and platforms. This is the first time Linktree has hired federal lobbyists. One of the lobbyists on the account is Eric Bohl, former chief of staff to Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and former Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.).

The consumer privacy platform Cloaked hired Invariant to “Educate Members of Congress about ways to protect personal information,” according to a new registration. The program allows consumers to manage passwords, mask their phone number when making calls and quickly generate virtual identities to “stand in for your personal info,” according to its website. 

One of the lobbyists on the account is Melanie Harris, a former professional staffer on the House Armed Services Committee and program examiner in the national security division of the White House Office of Management and Budget during former President Trump’s administration.

Communications

Zoom hired FGS Global to lobby the Biden administration on technology issues. Mike Iger, a longtime senior Democratic House aide who served as chief of staff for former House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), will work on the account.

Manufacturing

The battery metals producer U.S. Strategic Metals hired LSN Partner to lobby on issues related to supply chains, rare earth metals and battery materials. One of the lobbyists on the account is Jose ​Fuentes, former White House deputy director for advance to Vice President Dick Cheney and communications director at the U.S. Agency for International Development.