Is the campaign money behind Harris ready?
Presented by The American Hospital Association
With Daniel Lippman
HARRIS' ALLIES ORGANIZE: Allies of Vice President Kamala Harris have begun courting Democratic donors to provide financial support for her if President Joe Biden drops out of the 2024 race, POLITICO reported Thursday night.
— One Democratic donor adviser has begun collecting pledges from female Democratic donors to support Harris, while a women’s political organization has begun speaking to its donor base in an effort to ensure an initial wave of contributions to a potential Harris campaign, according to people familiar with the efforts.
— These people shared information about the financial maneuverings under strict conditions of anonymity, because of Harris’ extraordinarily delicate political position as Biden’s running mate and the tensions within the Democratic Party about Biden’s future.
— “What’s important is that there’s a massive show of support for her right away, which shows a signal that we’re all in for her,” said a leader of the women’s political organization granted anonymity to speak about sensitive Democratic Party planning.
— The organization has begun preparing emails and messaging. Those who focus on supporting female candidates have already begun planning to help Harris with a quick show of force, with lists of donors ready, the person added. Some donors have already proactively indicated they want to give money, the person said.
— Donors are “lining up to support” Harris “as soon as she’s a potential nominee,” the political leader added. “We certainly know that we are hearing from all of our donors that they want to support her.”
— Read more of our story about the fundraising mobilization behind Harris here.
Happy Friday, and welcome to PI. What a week. My name is Hailey Fuchs, and I’m helming the newsletter while Caitlin is out. She’ll be back on Monday, so please send us all your money and politics tips at [email protected] and [email protected]. Follow us on X: @Hailey_Fuchs and @caitlinoprysko.
RECORD REVENUE AT BROWNSTEIN: Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck brought in $17.6 million in federal lobbying revenue in the second quarter of this year, per a release from the firm. That’s a record for Brownstein, which also had 15 new clients this past quarter.
— In an interview, Brownstein’s government relations department co-chair Will Moschella emphasized that focus on what’s happening in Washington remains strong. That interest is driven by a number of factors, including uncertainty with the election, ongoing legislative and regulatory work and the soon-to-be expired tax provisions, he added.
— With Trump’s improving poll numbers, there’s increasing interest in the agenda of a potential Trump-Vance administration, Moschella said. He expected that with a potential Trump administration, revenue would continue to grow.
— ”Any time there's a change in the administration — particularly if there's a party change — there's gonna be new policy, new priorities,” he said. “That’s gonna generate new business and new opportunities.”
— The first quarter of 2024 was also record-breaking for Brownstein, which brought in $16.26 million in federal lobbying revenue.
SPOTTED this week at an after-hours RNC cigar lounge in the Fiserv Forum hosted by Invariant, FanDuel, DraftKings, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey and Swishers, per a PI tipster: Reps. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), Tom Cole (R-Okla.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.), Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.) and David Rouzer (R-N.C.), DraftKing's Stanton Dodge, former Sen. Cory Gardner, Trump campaign's Chris LaCivita, former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, former Rep. Devin Nunes, Michael Best Strategies' Reince Priebus and Invariant's Amy Swonger.
ALSO SPOTTED IN MILWAUKEE: A number of lawmakers were spotted at Ferox Strategies’ RNC Recovery Brunch at Central Standard Craft Distillery in Milwaukee on Thursday, per a tipster. Among the attendees: Hern, Darin LaHood (R-Il.), Erin Houchin (R-Ind.), Mike Ezell (R-Miss.), Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.).
— Mark Williams of Ferox, Kristan Nevins of Blackstone, Ben Cantrell of BlackRock, and Mike Ward of Amazon, among others, also attended, according to the tipster.
INSIDE JD’S MIND: For those on K Street looking to understand Ohio Sen. JD Vance’s thinking, take a look at this story by POLITICO’s Adam Wren:
— ”When Donald Trump selected JD Vance as his running mate, he elevated the first millennial who will appear on a presidential ticket. That makes Vance the first politician who came of age during the Iraq War and the Great Recession, an internet native whose political rise coincided with the development of a new group of conservatives that would become the New Right.”
— “But perhaps Vance’s most millennial trait is just how geeky he is about Lord of the Rings. The trilogy of novels has been a longstanding nerd favorite for decades, but it became the center of culture during Vance’s high school years thanks to Peter Jackson’s movies.”
— “Vance himself has pointed to Tolkien’s high fantasy epics as a window into understanding his worldview.”
BIG BUSINESS AT RNC: “Much of corporate America has flocked to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week, packing luxury suites high above the arena, cutting checks, sponsoring late-night parties and mingling with Republican politicians as well as former and current Trump advisers over happy hours and lunches,” reports the Washington Post’s Josh Dawsey.
— “The revelry is a remarkable shift from several years ago, when many corporate donors treated Donald Trump as a pariah after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and decried his efforts to overturn the election. Companies faced backlash from an angry workforce if they embraced the former president or supported his nascent effort to return to the White House. In the Republican presidential primaries, many of the country’s top donors wrote big checks for Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis, eschewing Trump.”
Jobs report
— Alexander S. Mathews is retiring at the end of 2024 as president and CEO of the Animal Health Institute. The institute’s board is now moving to find his successor.
— Dori Henry is joining Blended Public Affairs as senior vice president. She was Baltimore County executive Johnny Olszewski’s chief of staff. She is an alum of the Labor Department and the Department of Justice.
— Christina Carr is joining the Economic Speakers Bureau as director, Playbook reports. She was previously the Joint Economic Committee Democrats’ communications director.
— Dan Frost is now working for the Carbon Removal Alliance as a senior communications manager. He is an alum of Precision Strategies.
New Joint Fundraisers
Kim-Levin Victory Fund (Reps. Andy Kim, Mike Levin)
New PACs
College Republicans of America (Super PAC)
CFD Research Corporation Political Action Committee (PAC)
America's Democracy Defenders (PAC)
America First Super PAC 2024 (Super PAC)
Rothmund Action Fund (PAC)
Women United To Save The Commonwealth (PAC)
New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS
Mehlman Consulting, Inc.: Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Inc.
Invariant LLC: Southern Glazer's Wine And Spirits, LLC
High Street Strategies LLC: Awesome, Inc.
Todd Strategy Group: Nomi Health, Inc.
Todd Strategy Group: American Society Of Nephrology
HLP&R Advocacy, LLC: Elwell & Associates On Behalf Of Flight Services International (FSI)
Adams And Reese, LLP: Riviera Utilities
Adams And Reese, LLP: City Of Orange Beach, AL
Adams And Reese, LLP: Columbia Metropolitan Airport
Mehlman Consulting, Inc.: RKT Holdings, LLC
ESS Tech, Inc.: ESS Tech, Inc.
Baker & Hostetler LLP: ModivCare Solutions, LLC
Baker & Hostetler LLP: SEKO Logistics
Baker & Hostetler LLP: Archer Daniels Midland Company
Baker & Hostetler LLP: U.S. Bancorp
GrayRobinson PA: Accel
The Vogel Group: Mr. Joe Sullivan
The Vogel Group: Jindal Pipe USA
Prime Policy Group: Paraguayan Meats Chamber
Integer, LLC: National Association Of Charitable Gift Planners
Bracewell LLP: Capital Power Corporation
Patterson Earnhart Real Bird & Wilson LLP: Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association, Inc.
Bracewell LLP: Pioneer Public Affairs
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Unilever United States
Steptoe LLP: 280 Earth, Inc.
Pioneer Public Affairs: Modern Hydrogen, Inc.
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP: Consortium For Common Food Names
Alva Elliott Partners, LLC: Tower 19 On Behalf Of Kalshi, Inc.
New Lobbying Terminations
Mehlman Consulting, Inc.: Internet Corporation For Assigned Names And Numbers (ICANN)
Delek US Holdings, Inc.: Delek US Holdings, Inc.
Mehlman Consulting, Inc.: HP, Inc.
Van Scoyoc Associates: Fathom Tanks, LLC
VNF Solutions, LLC: American Shrimp Processors Association
VNF Solutions, LLC: Air Products And Chemicals, Inc
Holland & Knight LLP: Windward Fund
Williams And Jensen, PLLC: Recora
Kountoupes Denham Carr & Reid, LLC: Breakthrough Energy, LLC
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: BlackRock Funds Services Group LLC
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: EuroAPI
The Consilio Group: Wel-Fab
Smith Dawson & Andrews: Seves Glass Block, Inc.
Lucas | Compton: Quanta Services
FS Vector LLC: Dave, Inc.
McCaulley&Company: Lorain County Board Of County Commissioners
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP: Fellowes Brands
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP: Emcore Corporation
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP: BedRock Systems, Inc.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP: American Chiropractic Association
Terrapin Strategy, Inc: Arovia, Inc.
Terrapin Strategy, Inc: Senior Healthcare Innovation Consortium, Inc.
Terrapin Strategy, Inc: Integrity Technologies Corp.
Terrapin Strategy, Inc: Belen Aerospace
Liberty Partners Group, LLC: Radiology Imaging Associates LLC (AFHC)
CGCN Group, LLC: National Alliance For Public Charter Schools
Ervin Graves Strategy Group, LLC: Tactical Innovations LLC
Ervin Graves Strategy Group, LLC: Geis Companies
Ervin Graves Strategy Group, LLC: G6 Energy Corp.
Ervin Graves Strategy Group, LLC: AeroVironment, Inc.
The Raben Group: NAACP Empowerment Programs, Inc.
The Raben Group: Early Edge California A Project Of New Venture Fund
The Raben Group: Latinos For Education
TruSynergy: Burrell International Group (On Behalf Of Arsenal Medical, Inc.)
Hance Scarborough: Dr. John Valentini
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough: NB Affordable
Public Strategies Washington, Inc.: Vitesco Technologies USA
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough: Somerset County
Mehlman Consulting, Inc.: Rock Central
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP: NexGen Power Systems
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP: Aspen/Pitkin County Airport - Board Of County Commissioners Of Pitkin County, CO
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP: Biotelemetry Inc.
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP: American Conservatory Theater
K&L Gates, LLP: Fisher Investments
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP: Sensormatic Electronics
Roberti Global (fka Roberti White, LLC): Serac Healthcare Ltd
CJ Lake, LLC: March Joint Powers Authority
Roberti Global (fka Roberti White, LLC): Pfizer Inc.
Squire Patton Boggs: Wayne State University
K&L Gates, LLP: Lower Passaic River Study Area Coop
Public Strategies Washington, Inc.: Adelphi Capital Partners
Public Strategies Washington, Inc.: Kaliroy Fresh
Squire Patton Boggs: Study Edge
O'Brien, Gentry & Scott, LLC: Forward Power Co.
O'Brien, Gentry & Scott, LLC: Zenith Aerospace
Shumaker Advisors Florida, LLC: Collaborative Werx LLC
Husch Blackwell Strategies: Lifetime Advisors LLC
Farragut Partners LLP: BeyondSpring Inc.
Farragut Partners LLP: Novavax, Inc.
FBB Federal Relations: U.S. Soccer Federation
Pat Younger: Port Of Victoria
B3 Strategies, LLC: Enginuity Worldwide, LLC
Husch Blackwell Strategies: GrayRobinson On Behalf Of City Of St Cloud FL
Husch Blackwell Strategies: GrayRobinson (On Behalf Of St. Lucie County, Florida)
Husch Blackwell Strategies: GrayRobinson (On Behalf Of Escambia County, FL)
Husch Blackwell Strategies: GrayRobinson (On Behalf Of Brevard County, FL)
Husch Blackwell Strategies: First Command Financial Services
Guide Consulting Services, Inc.: Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance FKA Schizophrenia And Related Disorder
Venable LLP: Tourette Association Of America
FGS Global (US) LLC (FKA FGH Holdings LLC): Flashfood Inc.
Maynard Nexsen PC: The Red Mountain Cut Foundation
Oxford Strategies LLC-MD: Justice Action Network
Pioneer Public Affairs: Universal Hydrogen
Pioneer Public Affairs: Talus Renewables, Inc.
Barker Leavitt, PLLC (SKA Mr. James C. Barker): Sonic Healthcare USA
Capitol City Group, Ltd.: Vineyard Wind, LLC
FS Vector LLC: Bank Policy Institute
Capitol City Group, Ltd.: Roger Williams University
Cline Strategic Consulting, LLC: Wieland North America
Polaris Government Relations, LLC: Rocket Companies