From the K Street Corridor

Sat. Jan. 19, 2008


Let's Party!

Some campaign finance lawyers are working furiously to come up with creative ways for their clients to circumvent a new congressional ethics rule that restricts entities with federally registered lobbyists from "directly" funding parties honoring a specific lawmaker at political conventions. "Folks are wondering how far they can go" without violating the rules, says a lawyer who represents political fundraisers and corporate clients.

One strategy under discussion would have companies that employ lobbyists pool their money and fund a nonprofit that doesn't have a lobbyist. The nonprofit then could host parties this summer when the Democrats gather in Denver and the Republicans meet in Minneapolis. "That way the party isn't sponsored directly" by companies with lobbyists, a campaign finance lawyer says.

Another lawyer outlined a different approach: Companies that employ lobbyists but are members of nonprofit associations or similar organizations that don't have them could push those groups to sponsor parties at the conventions. Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, thinks that such scenarios would still constitute a violation of the ethics rules.

-- Bara Vaida

Mac Attack

With the presidential primary season in full swing, brigades of K Street lobbyists and Capitol Hill aides from both parties have been hitting the road for two- and three-day excursions to help get out the vote for their candidates. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has been one beneficiary of these efforts, particularly in New Hampshire and South Carolina, according to lobbyists. About 100 Hill staffers and lobbyists, including such McCain loyalists as Charlie Black of BKSH & Associates and Wayne Berman of Ogilvy Government Relations, took time off to help the senator notch his New Hampshire victory on January 8. Another contingent that includes Black and assorted lobbyists from BGR Holding, Blank Rome, and Fierce Isakowitz & Blalock is in South Carolina to help McCain in the January 19 primary. "There are a lot of worker-bee lobbyists doing phone banks and get-out-the-vote efforts," lobbyist Kirk Blalock says.

-- Peter H. Stone

After Novelli?

Speculation has begun at AARP about who will succeed CEO Bill Novelli, whose contract expires at the end of the year. The board could renew his contract -- already extended once -- but it's not clear if Novelli, 66, wants to stay. Some who have worked with the hard-driving executive say that the job has taken a toll because of the difficulty of implementing his ambitious plans for overhauling the organization. (See NJ, 3/10/07, p. 28.)

Reached by phone, Novelli said he hasn't made a decision about leaving, adding that the search for a successor hasn't begun and that he is focused on pursuing AARP's agenda.

Being CEO, he says, is a "tough job, no question" but also "the best job I've ever had."

Whenever Novelli leaves, insiders say, the job's complexity could give an internal candidate a leg up. One likely contender is Chief Operating Officer Tom Nelson, a 27-year AARP veteran. Another is Nancy LeaMond, who heads AARP's social-impact group and runs the high-profile "Divided We Fail" initiative.

Two other top officials have left recently: Dawn Sweeney, the longtime president of AARP's business arm, quit last fall to head the National Restaurant Association. Chris Hansen, formerly in charge of state and national initiatives, is now president and CEO of AeA.

-- Julie Kosterlitz

 

  •  
  •