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RSA Brings Its Show On The Road
by Bara Vaida
RSA Security CEO Art Coviello is one of a number of high-tech CEOs who has been spending more time with government agency officials since Sept. 11. Last week, for example, he flew from RSA's headquarters in Bedford, Mass., to meet Mark Forman, associate director for IT and e-government at the White House Office of Management and Budget. He also met with the chief information officers at the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Department to discuss e-government and security technology.
"I'm here pretty regularly," Coviello said in an interview with National Journal's Technology Daily. "I'm educating people at various levels of the government about the types of technologies that are available from RSA and also to get a better idea of their hot button issues, so we can serve the government better."
RSA works with contractors like Computer Sciences Corp. and EDS to get its encryption products seen by government agencies. "We get a good view with those [contractors] because of the market opportunity and the shift we have seen in the federal government for buying off-the-shelf security technology," Coviello said. He also heads to the Hill to discuss computer security and notes that many lawmakers still do not view cyber terrorism as a threat as big as physical attacks. "It is very important that we do not underestimate this part of the threat," he said of cyber terrorism.
Coviello said Office of Cyber Space Director Richard Clarke has done a good job elevating the profile of cyber terrorism and in trying to set an example by working to toughen the government's computer-security system.
Daschle's Supporters Go Online
Supporters of Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle, D-S.D., last Friday unveiled a Web site to counter attack ads run by conservative group the Club for Growth that have been running for months in his home state. The site, "DaschleDemocrats.org," has filed for a 527 status, which would shield it from taxes. It also solicits donations, although that function of the site is not yet operational. A spokeswoman for the organization said it already has received fundraising commitments for close to $250,000. "The response has been tremendous," she said. The site outlines Daschle's positions on policy items and urges supporters to send letters to the editor and to join an e-mail list. On the advisory board of the group are a number of local South Dakota supporters, as well as eight former lawmakers and former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta. The group's first radio ad ran this past weekend and directs listeners to view the DaschleDemocrats site.
Meanwhile, Podesta has been busy in the world of politics over the past month. On Feb. 27, he and former Daschle staff member Joel Johnson filed papers with the IRS to create a 527 organization called "The Priorities Project," which is separate from his involvement in DaschleDemocrats, a spokeswoman for DaschleDemocrats said. Podesta, who worked on a number of information technology policy issues when he was at the White House, could not be reached for comment.
Elsewhere on the political landscape, the Florida gubernatorial campaign of Bill McBride became riled last week when it discovered that Gov. Jeb Bush's re-election campaign had gotten hold of its e-mail list, The Washington Post reported. Bush's campaign manager Karen Unger used the e-mail list to send out a message to 800 McBride supporters to urge them to support Bush's re-election instead. McBride's campaign manager, Robin Rorapaugh, called the use of the e-mail list a "dirty trick," the Post reported. She added: "In political campaigns, you do not e-mail people without their permission. It's an intrusion into their lives, and we think it was a very unwelcome one," the Post said. Bush's campaign defended the use of the e-mail list and said during a campaign their goal is to communicate with as many eyes and ears as possible.
On the Fundraising Trail
Members of TechNet have been busy over the spring recess. They turned out for a fundraiser on March 28 for Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., at Siebel Systems in San Mateo, Calif. Those hosting the event included Siebel Systems CEO Tom Siebel, TechNet co-founder and venture capitalist John Doerr, Hellman & Friedman Chairman Warren Hellman and venture capitalist Jim Gaither. In his position, Baucus has influence over presidential trade negotiating authority and stock options reform legislation, two issues that are key to TechNet. According to TechNet Vice President Connie Correll, a number of TechNet CEOs will call senators to urge them to support passage of trade authority, which is expected to come up on the chamber floor within the next few months. "The industry realizes we have to be engaged on this," she said.
Meanwhile, another TechNet fundraiser last week included an event for Democratic California Gov. Gray Davis at Mountain Winery in Saratoga, Calif. On April 4, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman W.J. "Billy" Tauzin, R-La., is scheduled to attend a fundraising breakfast in Silicon Valley. Internet Caucus Co-Chairman Robert Goodlatte, R-Va., also will attending a fundraiser on April 4. On April 5, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown will attend a breakfast in honor of Lieutenant Gov. Cruz Bustamante.
On the Move
Catherine Nolan, who was vice president of law and public policy at Time Warner before the merger with America Online, is working as a legislative consultant at the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, according to lobbying filings. NCTA is working on the transition to digital television, cable pricing, competition in the industry and interactive television.
W. Douglas Campbell has been named senior vice president of Fleishman-Hillard's government relations practice, where he will work on telecom and high-tech issues. Campbell joined Sen. Orrin Hatch's office as counsel in 1981, before joining Fleishman-Hillard in 1987. In 1999, he left to open his own government relations firm, Digital Issues Group, where he focused on electronic privacy and data security legislation. In his new position, Campbell will continue consult for his existing clients on intellectual property and e-commerce issues.
The FCC named Barbara Cherry as deputy chief of the Office of Plans and Policy. She most recently was associate director of the James and Mary Quello Center for Telecommunications Management and Law at Michigan State University. Previously, she was director for public policy studies at Ameritech.
Daniel Manatt, founder of the Web site YdemsCan.net, which aims to recruit young Democrats to support moderate Democrat candidates, has joined the new political ad firm, Penczner-Burton Media. He will assist with video production and editing and ad research.
Joanna McIntosh has joined the Markle Foundation as director of Markle's Policy for a Networked Society program. She was vice president of international affairs at AT&T. In her new position, McIntosh will work to promote open international and domestic policy-making processes that are accountable to multiple stakeholders. Before AT&T, McIntosh worked for the U.S. Trade Representative where she was an associate general counsel and chair of the Section 301 committee.
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