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Key Aide To Sen. Hollings Is Leaving
by Bara Vaida
Al Mottur is leaving his position as senior communications counsel to the Senate Commerce Committee's minority at the end of the month to join the Washington office of the Denver law firm Brownstein, Hyatt and Farber. He will continue to work on telecommunications and privacy policies, which were among his priorities during his years at the committee. "It's a great opportunity," Mottur said of his new position.
Mottur, who also served as a key staff member to Sen. Ernest (Fritz) Hollings, D-S.C., played a critical role in the development of an anti-piracy measure that was introduced last March. Mottur said Hollings had not planned to reintroduce the same anti-piracy bill and for now is waiting for the FCC to take action on the "broadcast flag," a technology for protecting broadcast programs from Internet piracy, before introducing further legislation.
James Assey will replace Mottur at the committee.
The Internet Year Ahead
Several hundred lobbyists, congressional staffers, lawmakers and regulators interested in high-tech issues attended the Congressional Internet Caucus' sixth annual reception last Wednesday.
As has been tradition, dozens of tech firms displayed their technologies. Texas Instruments showcased its educational technology, Yahoo demonstrated its Web site for children, and the recording industry proudly promoted Full Audio, a legal way for consumers to access music on the Internet. The movie industry also demonstrated its new MovieLink Web site that allows consumers to legally download films, though doing so can take several hours.
FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, Commerce Technology Undersecretary Phil Bond and Assistant Commerce Secretary Nancy Victory all spoke about the promises of technology. And Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy, a co-chairman of the caucus, said that neither major political party is better for the high-tech sector but that "both parties" working together benefit the industry.
The top issues for the caucus this year will include anti-terrorism, civil liberties, Internet taxation, online privacy, spam, digital piracy, high-speed Internet service, international technology policy and wireless policy.
A Washington Toy Story
After six years, Gary Klein has left his job as vice president of government and legal affairs for the Consumer Electronics Association to create the Washington office of the Toy Industry Association, where he will be senior vice president government, legal and regulatory affairs. In his new job, Klein will work on intellectual property and trademark issues, as well as safety, trade and manufacturing policy.
Before joining CEA, Klein worked for Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, as counsel on the Senate Judiciary Administrative Oversight and the Courts Subcommittee, and then as chief trade counsel on the Senate Finance International Trade Subcommittee. While at CEA, Klein worked on home-recording rights for consumers. He opposed government-mandated anti-piracy technologies.
Klein also has diversified his life outside the Beltway. Before working on Capitol Hill, Klein spent seven years as a sitcom writer in Hollywood.
In other association news, the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) has tapped Jim Flyzik, a former senior adviser to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, as chairman of ITAA's homeland security task force. Flyzik, now a partner at the consulting firm Guerra, Kiviat & Flyzik, also served as vice chairman of the Federal CIO Council from 1998 through 2002, overseeing various IT projects for the federal government.
Think Tanks Expands Tech Project
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) is expanding its Project on Technology and Innovation and has hired two new staffers. Braden Cox will serve as the project's technology counsel and Hanah Metchis as the institute's newest research analyst.
Cox and Metchis will complement the tech-focused work of senior policy analyst Solveig Singleton. Previously, Cox was counsel at Veriprise Wireless, a technology company formerly based in Atlanta. His law practice has included technology and insurance-investment products and civil litigation. Metchis was a technical writer and editor before joining CEI.
Cox will focus on intellectual property, e-commerce, privacy, and national security. Metchis' primary areas of research will include online privacy and e-commerce.
Microsoft Spokesman To Leave Job
Rick Miller is leaving Microsoft's Redmond, Wash., offices after four year's in the software firm's corporate public relations shop. Miller said he is heading back to his native California and the public sector as the communications director for the California Education Department.
"As many of you know, I've spent most my career in education and the public sector, and I am very much looking forward to returning to work that fuels my passion," Miller wrote in an e-mail to colleagues.
In the interim, Sean Sundwall is assuming Miller's role in corporate relations and is focusing on Microsoft's "trustworthy computing" initiative.
Bush Sends Security Nomination To Congress
The nomination of Charles McQueary of North Carolina to be the Homeland Security Department's science and technology undersecretary was sent to the Senate late last week, indicating that he is one step closer to securing the position.
McQueary is the retired president of General Dynamics Advanced Technology Systems and a former board member of the National Defense Industrial Association. He was with AT&T/Lucent Technologies from 1987 to 1997 as president and vice president, and with AT&T Bell Laboratories from 1971 to 1987 as director and department head.
President has not yet nominated someone to be the information analysis undersecretary, the other key position in the department for the high-tech sector.
Democrats Named To Top Intelligence Slots
Californian Jane Harman, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, announced the selections for the top Democratic slots and membership on the panels four subcommittees last week.
Silicon Valley's Anna Eshoo will fill that job on the Intelligence Policy and National Security Subcommittee. The other appointments are: Alcee Hastings of Florida, on the Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee; Leonard Boswell of Iowa, on Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence; and Robert (Bud) Cramer of Alabama on the Technical and Tactical Intelligence Subcommittee.
Tidbits From The Political Scene
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., raised $2.25 million last year for her 2004 re-election campaign, though no Republicans have announced plans to challenge her, the Sacramento Bee reported. The paper said Rep. Doug Ose, R-Calif., is virtually certain to seek the GOP nomination, and Bill Simon, the Republican gubernatorial nominee last year, also is thinking about running.
In other political news, Simon Rosenberg, the head of the New Democrat Network, is seeking a bigger voice for moderates in the party's 2004 campaign, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The network has created an entity to harvest big checks from pro-business donors, and Rosenberg said the group hopes to spend as much as $20 million on ads and other "direct voter contact" to help the 2004 ticket. Campaign finance law now bans national party committees from accepting such unregulated "soft money."
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