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Fired Internet Video Expert Gets Hired
by Heather Greenfield
After a few stressful weeks, the creator of a much-ballyhooed grassroots Internet video has landed a new job.
Phil de Vellis made the video, which was critical of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton, on his own time but did so while working for a firm contracted by Barack Obama, one of Clinton's presidential rivals. De Vellis was fired after his name became public.
The mash-up of Clinton has been viewed online more than 4 million times and was featured on major television networks, cable channels, newspapers and political blogs.
De Vellis now will join the Democratic political media consulting firm Murphy Putnam Media as a senior associate and vice president for new media. "It was definitely a really challenging period, but it worked out great in the end," de Vellis said of his firing. "This is a dream job for me. I'm very lucky; it's a great firm and a great position."
"Phil is a trailblazer in political communications," said Mark Putnam, a founding partner of Murphy Putnam Media. "The use of new media has expanded the reach of political campaigns to engage and empower voters like never before, and Phil is a big part of that transformation. We're proud to have him on board."
Before joining Murphy Putnam Media, de Vellis was director of Internet communications for the successful 2006 Senate campaign of Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and was a senior strategist at Blue State Digital, a Democratic Internet consulting firm.
"The term 'media campaign' has changed profoundly over the last several election cycles," said Steve Murphy, also a founding partner of Murphy Putnam Media. "While many see the potential of the Internet, few know how to take advantage of it. Phil has a proven record of creating powerful Internet content and leveraging the Internet to help elect Democratic candidates and promote progressive causes. He was a natural for our firm."
Murphy Putnam Media has worked on the 2006 gubernatorial and 2008 presidential campaigns of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.
Manufacturers Praise Nominee For Industry 'Czar'
The National Association of Manufacturers is praising President Bush for selecting one of its own as his nominee for "manufacturing czar." Bush nominated former NAM board member William (Woody) Sutton as assistant secretary for manufacturing and services.
"Manufacturers face great challenges, from structural costs at home and global competition abroad," NAM President John Engler said. "Having worked directly with the industry, Woody Sutton understands these challenges and the means necessary to developing growth to keep American manufacturing strong."
Engler added: "Woody has been a longtime advocate and friend to manufacturers, recognizing industry's importance to the economy and millions of American jobs. If confirmed, his experience within the industry will allow him to expand this position, helping manufacturers create jobs and compete globally."
Sutton is a highly decorated former U.S. Navy rear admiral and previously served as president of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute.
Longtime ACLU Counsel Moves To CDT
Gregory Nojeim joined the Center for Democracy and Technology this week as senior counsel and director of CDT's project on freedom, security and technology.
Nojeim comes from the Washington legislative office of the American Civil Liberties Union, where he most recently served as associate director and chief legislative counsel. During his 12 years at the ACLU, he became a widely recognized expert on the civil liberties issues surrounding terrorism, national security and information technology.
"We are deeply honored to have an expert of Greg's stature join CDT," Executive Director Leslie Harris said. "His expertise and dynamism will be invaluable assets as we work to revitalize core privacy protections that have been eroded by technological change and ill-conceived policies."
Nojeim fills a critical need at a critical time, CDT Policy Director Jim Dempsey said. "There is no more serious threat to our civil liberties and to the open, democratizing Internet than the continued erosion of our privacy," he said. "Greg's experience, thoughtfulness and passionate advocacy make him the ideal person to help us meet that threat."
Nojeim said he has "admired CDT's thoughtful, comprehensive approach to policy challenges and am thrilled to be joining such a tight, well-established team. I'm looking forward to devoting my whole focus to tackling the serious and growing threats to our fundamental freedoms."
Swimming Together At BlueWater
Tim Kurth and Andrew Lundquist, telecommunications and energy industry policy veterans, are teaming with Eric Washburn to form a bipartisan lobbying and business consulting firm called BlueWater Strategies.
Lundquist served previously as the director of the National Energy Policy Development Group at the White House, and later as a top energy adviser and strategist for President Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney. Lundquist also served as staff director of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and as chief of staff to then-Sen. Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska.
Kurth served as a top policy adviser to former Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., on telecom and financial services. Before Hastert became Speaker, Kurth worked at the House Energy and Commerce Committee for Hastert, managing legislation on high-speed Internet deployment, spectrum relocation and media ownership, among other things.
Washburn, meanwhile, worked for former Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle, D-S.D., as a senior adviser. Before that he was the Democratic staff director of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
"I am delighted to be working together again with my old friend and colleague Andrew Lundquist," Washburn said. "Having worked across the aisle together on a number of national initiatives in the Senate and later on the Energy Policy Act of 2002, I now look forward to extending our bipartisan history into this new, strategic consulting venture."
BlueWater also hired Kiersten Drager to manage the firm's business and political affairs. Former Rep. George Nethercutt, R-Wash., will be a counsel to the firm, and Howard Useem, who worked at Senate Energy and Natural Resources for 24 years, will manage the firm's energy practice.
Pelosi, Sen. Alexander Recognized By Engineers
The engineering society IEEE-USA has honored House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Lamar Alexander for their leadership in promoting issues designed to make the United States more globally competitive.
At a Capitol Hill reception Pelosi, D-Calif., and Alexander, R-Tenn., received the 2007 George E. Brown Jr. Science, Engineering and Technology Leadership Award for supporting science, engineering and technology research and education.
Pelosi thanked the group for the award and its efforts to promote innovation. "With bipartisan support in Congress, the remarkable outside mobilization of groups such as yours, and the support of the president, the 110th Congress will invest in the future by enacting the innovation agenda that will make America stronger," Pelosi said.
"We will assert our global economic leadership, create new business ventures and jobs, and give future generations their own opportunity to achieve the American dream."
Quote Of The Week
"Bravo, CNN! This is exactly the sort of leadership one hopes to see from that network. This is fantastic news for citizen-generated content."
-- Stanford University law professor Larry Lessig, praising CNN's decision to make footage from its presidential debates next month freely available.
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