Latest news with #Holland&Hart
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
'Wave of panic': Trump immigration raids rattle businesses
The administration's push to detain record numbers of undocumented immigrants has set off "a whole new wave of panic," said Chris Thomas, a partner at the Holland & Hart law firm who represents employers in immigration cases. The sharp uptick in immigration enforcement activities is a departure for federal authorities who usually avoid going after businesses. Now, employers are worried that the escalating enforcement campaign will not only cripple their businesses but could lead to civil and criminal exposure, even when they have rigorous hiring processes, Thomas said. Tensions are running high, particularly in the construction, hospitality and food processing, but he expects the immigration crackdown will soon rattle businesses in other industries. Already, major public companies have warned investors the immigration crackdown could affect their businesses that rely on a migrant workforce. Meatpacker Smithfield warned in a securities filing in March: "Increased enforcement efforts with respect to existing immigration laws by governmental authorities may disrupt a portion of our workforce or our operations. There can be no assurance that these activities or consequences will not adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations in the future." California democrat ejected: Sen. Alex Padilla handcuffed and forcibly removed from Noem press conference "We have never seen anything like this," Thomas said. "They have just gotten started and there is so much more to come. Thus far we have seen raids on a smaller scale. But they are moving into the next stage now where they will have larger-scale worksite enforcement operations at bigger companies." President Donald Trump swept into office on a pledge to crack down on illegal immigration. It is estimated that there are more than 8 million undocumented immigrants working in the United States. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller told Fox News' Sean Hannity in May that the goal for ICE was a "minimum" of 3,000 arrests a day. "And President Trump is going to keep pushing to get that number up higher each and every single day," Miller said. White House border czar Tom Homan warned this week that "worksite enforcement operations are going to massively expand." In a Truth Social post Thursday, Trump acknowledged that crackdown was hurting American employers. "Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace," Trump wrote. At the White House, he told reporters he would issue an order to help address worker shortages brought on by raids of farm and hotel workers. The president's words have not reassured employers, said Shanon Stevenson, a partner who co-chairs the national immigration practice at the Fisher & Phillips law firm. Calls from worried clients have increased 75% since last week. "Employers have to respond to the reality they are seeing. This is a massive increase in worksite enforcement," Stevenson said. "Hearing comments that specific industries won't be targeted when the employers in these industries are facing raids, and did yesterday, it's a little bit hard to swallow." Businesses are collateral damage as the explosion of immigration enforcement worsens staffing issues for businesses already facing worker shortages, according to Amy Peck, a partner with the Jackson Lewis law firm who represents employers in immigration matters. "We have employers who are not able to open their businesses because workers aren't showing up. Restaurants with multiple locations are having to consolidate or not open certain locations because of a lack of workers or they close early or close the lunch shift because there aren't enough workers," Peck said. "I have manufacturers who are going down from three shifts to two because of the lack of workers. It's really putting a squeeze on employers." Trump immigration gold card: Trump said 15,000 foreigners signed up to pay $5 million for US residency In Idaho, businesses that were already shortstaffed have lost even more employees who are afraid to show up for work, said Alycia Moss, who chairs the immigration practice group at the Hawley Troxell Ennis & Hawley law firm. Hispanic and Latino businesses have been particularly hard hit, Moss said. "Most of the businesses I assist and speak with could not find enough workers before this increase and now some have told me they may have to scale back or close. I have one client who had to close his business," she said.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump will target US employers in next phase of immigration crackdown, Homan says
The Trump administration is planning to ramp up civil and criminal prosecutions of companies that employ workers without legal status, White House border czar Tom Homan said in an interview Wednesday. 'Worksite enforcement operations are going to massively expand,' Homan said. The White House has faced criticism from Democrats and even its own anti-immigration allies for exaggerating an immigrant crime wave while holding harmless the employers whose decisions shape huge sectors of the American economy. President Donald Trump 'won't prosecute companies for bribery and won't prosecute companies for hiring illegal immigrants,' Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said on X Tuesday. 'This administration just takes care of its donors.' But behind the scenes, American companies are 'freaking out' about the possibility of civil and criminal sanctions, or about the operational impact of losing a huge labor force, said Chris Thomas, a partner at Holland & Hart, who represents employers in immigration cases. He said clients have been 'calling in a panic — asking if they should be looking for ways to cut out potentially undocumented workers.' (He added that his clients do not know themselves to be employing any.) Employers are 'very scared — folks in LA, particularly,' said Bruce Buchanan, a leading immigration lawyer based in Nashville. Trump appeared to respond to those worries on Thursday morning: 'Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace,' he posted on Truth Social, promising that 'changes are coming.' For now, however, Homan confirmed that employers' fears are justified. Though the Trump administration prefers to focus on 'sanctuary' city policies that prevent police from turning over migrants who have committed crimes, this week's turmoil in Los Angeles began when federal agents raided four workplaces in the city's garment district as part of criminal investigations. Homan said the government will seek sanctions against employers. And major public companies have begun to warn investors that their models depend on migrant labor: 'Increased enforcement efforts with respect to existing immigration laws by governmental authorities may disrupt a portion of our workforce or our operations,' Smithfield, a major meatpacker, wrote in late March, the first time such language had appeared in its securities filings. DoorDash said in a recent filing that a crackdown 'may result in a decrease in the pool of Dashers.' 'They're coming here for a better life and a job, and I get that,' Homan said. 'The more you remove those magnets, the less people are going to come. If they can't get a job most of them aren't going to come.' Federal authorities have generally avoided targeting companies for a range of reasons, including the high burden of proof under laws that require showing that employers affirmatively knew the workers they hired lacked legal status. Unlike most developed economies, the US has no standardized national requirement that employers use its system for checking workers' papers, known as eVerify — and many workers evade that system by using a different legal worker's identity. Trump's first term saw some stepped-up Immigration and Customs Enforcement action against employers, with a two-step nationwide audit in 2018 and a record-setting $80 million civil settlement against the giant Asplundh Tree Experts over an investigation that began in the Obama years. Allies had expected the enforcement, which typically comes as much as a year after worksite raids, to ramp up before the coronavirus pandemic derailed immigration enforcement. Employer enforcement 'makes sense, but it has political impact on both sides,' Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told Semafor. 'Many entrepreneurs who are Republican by inclination would protest mightily. They can't have it both ways.' Such a move 'would reverberate through Congress,' he said. A concerted focus on employer enforcement would also shake huge segments of the US economy. Almost a quarter of construction workers lack legal status, a 2021 survey found, and as many as half of meatpacking workers. A focus on those industries could also undercut two of Trump's campaign promises: to make housing more affordable and bring down food prices. 'I won on the border, and I won on groceries,' he told NBC's Kristen Welker in December. President Trump suggested in April that he would propose a guest worker program for some of those businesses: 'We have to take care of our farmers, the hotels and, you know, the various places where they tend to need people.' But ICE raided a Nebraska meatpacking plant this week. 'Congress has a job to do,' Homan said. 'We're going to do worksite enforcement operations until there's a deal made.' When I first asked Homan about employers' role, he turned to talking points about sanctuary cities and the importance of sending agents in to arrest 'bad guys' who municipal authorities wouldn't turn over. Are employers, I asked, 'bad guys' in his view? 'Depends,' he replied. 'I know some employers don't know a fraudulent document from a legal document. But I truly believe that nobody hires an illegal alien from the goodness of their heart. They hire them because they can work them harder, pay them less, and undercut their competition — that hires US citizen employees, and drive wages down.' And yet, if and when the Trump administration moves past the popular, theatrical pursuit of alleged gang members and criminals, the White House and Congress will need to make hard decisions about how America sees its vast migrant workforce. Even the most dedicated restrictionists, like Homan, acknowledge that criminals are a tiny minority. 'Most illegal aliens are regular working stiffs,' said Mark Krikorian, the executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies. 'If you're not going after those people, you're not going to change the fundamental calculus.' (Krikorian is a longtime leader of the US anti-immigration movement — a figure who was so marginal in the Republican Party 20 years ago that when I, as a young reporter for the conservative New York Sun, tried to quote him, my editor told me he was beyond the pale. Now he's the intellectual architect of White House policy.) Gallego's comment suggests that Democrats, flailing for an affirmative policy on the border and immigration, may also see employers, rather than workers, at the center of the debate. The 'magnet' of migration is a decades-long, tacit agreement that meatpackers, construction companies, and farmers can employ migrants without any real penalties, and without the kind of tax and regulatory enforcement that's common across other developed countries. The US has struggled for decades to reach an agreement to regularize that system. Restrictionists have long dreamed of trading the legalization of immigrants who arrived illegally as children, known as Dreamers, for broad use of employment authorization. But many in Trump's movement simply want fewer immigrants, pitting them against big American business and Democrats alike, and while the outlines of a deal have been clear since the early 2000s, the prospect of a bipartisan agreement seems as remote as ever. The mixed signals toward employers have fed cynicism among those who like Trump's economic nationalism. 'The contradiction at the heart of the administration's approach reveals a fundamental tension between populist rhetoric and pro-business reality. While cameras roll for dramatic deportation footage, the industries dependent on illegal migration are maintaining business as usual. This disconnect could ultimately undermine the economic nationalism that propelled the Trump campaign to victory,' Lee Fang wrote on Substack. Trump's focus on immigrants with criminal records in US cities has produced an expanding national conflict, per The New York Times. the apprehension among employers, who are bracing for a wave of audits.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Peltola's potential comeback buoys Democratic hopes in Alaska
Former Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) is reportedly considering a run for Alaska governor, stoking Democratic hopes that she could clinch another upset victory in the red state. Peltola became the first Democrat to win the state's lone House seat in 50 years when she won her race in 2022 before narrowly losing reelection in 2024 as Alaska went for President Trump. This made her the most successful statewide Democratic candidate in years. Now, Democrats are hopeful she could pull off another win in 2026, in a state where a registered Democrat hasn't held the governor's mansion since 2002. 'I can't think of a Democrat who is better positioned than her, and I think she would stand a very strong chance,' said Alaska strategist John-Henry Heckendorn. Peltola was relatively little known nationally when she pulled off a win in the special House election to fill the remainder of the late Rep. Don Young's (R) term after Young died in 2022. She prevailed in the race after her two main Republican opponents, former Gov. Sarah Palin and Nick Begich, focused on attacking each other, helping her become the first Democrat to win statewide office in Alaska since 2008. She then won again against Palin and Begich in that November's general election to be elected to a full term. Being a Trump-district Democrat, Peltola was one of the top targets for Republicans to pick off in 2024, and in a presidential election year in which Alaska almost would certainly vote for Trump, the GOP seemed to be the favorites. Republicans also consolidated their support behind one candidate, Begich, ahead of the general election and avoided attacking each other to avoid splitting the vote in the first round of the state's ranked-choice voting system. Despite the odds being against her, Peltola still nearly pulled off a win. She was just 2 points behind Begich in the first round of voting and ultimately lost by only 2.5 points in the final round. That was a significant overperformance compared to how former Vice President Harris (D) fared, losing the state by 13 points. 'Peltola's putting up one of the top five performances in the [election] for a Democrat anywhere in the country. By that metric, she's probably one of the most talented Democratic candidates in the U.S.' Heckendorn said, comparing her to former Montana Sen. Jon Tester, another red-state Democrat. Her profile and past success would give Democrats a boost in any future office she seeks. And a gubernatorial run may be in her sights. After her loss, Peltola was noncommittal about her future in an interview with Alaska Public Media, saying she was looking forward to returning to private life. The law firm Holland & Hart announced Monday that Peltola was joining as senior director of Alaska affairs. The Hill has reached out to Peltola for comment. Sources told Cook Political Report last month that Peltola's old House seat would become a top target for Democrats if she runs in a rematch against Begich, but running for governor may be more likely. Cook reported the field for the House seat is 'frozen' until Peltola decides. She could also plan to challenge Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in 2026. Ivan Moore, the founder of the polling firm Alaska Survey Research, said he conducted a poll about a year ago exploring a hypothetical match-up between Peltola and Sullivan, which found Peltola viewed more favorably than the incumbent senator. 'It's hypothetical, but this was at the height of Mary … in office, and she was still halfway [in the] honeymoon,' he said. But despite Peltola's advantage in favorability, Sullivan still led by 3 points, he said. 'The nature of Alaska is that if you've got two candidates, one a Democrat and one a Republican, and both of them have basically identical name ID and identical popularity, the Republican will win by 10 points,' Moore said. 'So it's one thing to have good numbers, but if you're running as a Democrat, it's a problem.' But he said running for governor would be a different matter because it will be an open seat with Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) term-limited. And he said the field, at least currently, is 'pretty thin.' 'She would walk into the race with a huge advantage in name ID,' he said. 'I mean literally hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of name ID. She's a household name, and there aren't really any household names out there. People are getting up there, but they're still a ways short.' On the Republican side, state Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom is considered a likely candidate to succeed Dunleavy, but she's coming off an unsuccessful House bid last year for the seat Begich won, and analysts said she's not as well known as Peltola. Democratic strategist Amber Lee said she hopes Peltola runs for governor because she believes Peltola would best be able to 'protect' the state from what is happening at the federal level in that role. Lee noted Alaska is highly reliant on federal funding for jobs and Medicaid, which covers almost 250,000 Alaskans. Congressional Republicans are currently working to make massive cuts to government spending. While Trump and the GOP have vowed Medicaid wouldn't be cut, critics have argued the extent of the cuts would be tough to achieve without cutting programs like that. 'At this point, it looks like where we're really able to stand up for each other is more at the local level, and I think that she could protect Alaska from some of the things that's happening if she were here as governor,' Lee said. Heckendorn said the electorate may also be better for Democrats in 2026 amid expected backlash to Trump, standard for the sitting president, giving her 'tailwinds' to propel her forward. Even with headwinds last year, she almost won, he noted. He said Peltola's strength has been demonstrating an 'authenticity' that voters feel they can trust personally. Peltola has often spoken about her background working in the fishing and mining industries, coming from rural Alaska and growing up with guns. Peltola was the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress. 'Mary doesn't have to fake anything,' Heckendorn said. 'I think she's seen as an authentic person, an authentic Alaskan. I think that strength is going to apply in any of those races.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
06-03-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Peltola's potential comeback buoys Democratic hopes in Alaska
Former Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) is reportedly considering a run for Alaska governor, stoking Democratic hopes that she could clinch another upset victory in the red state. Peltola became the first Democrat to win the state's lone House seat in 50 years when she won her race in 2022 before narrowly losing reelection in 2024 as Alaska went for President Trump. This made her the most successful statewide Democratic candidate in years. Now, Democrats are hopeful she could pull off another win in 2026, in a state where a registered Democrat hasn't held the governor's mansion since 2002. 'I can't think of a Democrat who is better positioned than her, and I think she would stand a very strong chance,' said Alaska strategist John-Henry Heckendorn. Peltola was relatively little known nationally when she pulled off a win in the special House election to fill the remainder of the late Rep. Don Young's (R) term after Young died in 2022. She prevailed in the race after her two main Republican opponents, former Gov. Sarah Palin and Nick Begich, focused on attacking each other, helping her become the first Democrat to win statewide office in Alaska since 2008. She then won again against Palin and Begich in that November's general election to be elected to a full term. Being a Trump-district Democrat, Peltola was one of the top targets for Republicans to pick off in 2024, and in a presidential election year in which Alaska almost would certainly vote for Trump, the GOP seemed to be the favorites. Republicans also consolidated their support behind one candidate, Begich, ahead of the general election and avoided attacking each other to avoid splitting the vote in the first round of the state's ranked-choice voting system. Despite the odds being against her, Peltola still nearly pulled off a win. She was just 2 points behind Begich in the first round of voting and ultimately lost by only 2.5 points in the final round. That was a significant overperformance compared to how former Vice President Harris (D) fared, losing the state by 13 points. 'Peltola's putting up one of the top five performances in the [election] for a Democrat anywhere in the country. By that metric, she's probably one of the most talented Democratic candidates in the U.S.' Heckendorn said, comparing her to former Montana Sen. Jon Tester, another red-state Democrat. Her profile and past success would give Democrats a boost in any future office she seeks. And a gubernatorial run may be in her sights. After her loss, Peltola was noncommittal about her future in an interview with Alaska Public Media, saying she was looking forward to returning to private life. The law firm Holland & Hart announced Monday that Peltola was joining as senior director of Alaska affairs. The Hill has reached out to Peltola for comment. Sources told Cook Political Report last month that Peltola's old House seat would become a top target for Democrats if she runs in a rematch against Begich, but running for governor may be more likely. Cook reported the field for the House seat is 'frozen' until Peltola decides. She could also plan to challenge Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in 2026. Ivan Moore, the founder of the polling firm Alaska Survey Research, said he conducted a poll about a year ago exploring a hypothetical match-up between Peltola and Sullivan, which found Peltola viewed more favorably than the incumbent senator. 'It's hypothetical, but this was at the height of Mary … in office, and she was still halfway [in the] honeymoon,' he said. But despite Peltola's advantage in favorability, Sullivan still led by 3 points, he said. 'The nature of Alaska is that if you've got two candidates, one a Democrat and one a Republican, and both of them have basically identical name ID and identical popularity, the Republican will win by 10 points,' Moore said. 'So it's one thing to have good numbers, but if you're running as a Democrat, it's a problem.' But he said running for governor would be a different matter because it will be an open seat with Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) term-limited. And he said the field, at least currently, is 'pretty thin.' 'She would walk into the race with a huge advantage in name ID,' he said. 'I mean literally hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of name ID. She's a household name, and there aren't really any household names out there. People are getting up there, but they're still a ways short.' On the Republican side, state Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom is considered a likely candidate to succeed Dunleavy, but she's coming off an unsuccessful House bid last year for the seat Begich won, and analysts said she's not as well known as Peltola. Democratic strategist Amber Lee said she hopes Peltola runs for governor because she believes Peltola would best be able to 'protect' the state from what is happening at the federal level in that role. Lee noted Alaska is highly reliant on federal funding for jobs and Medicaid, which covers almost 250,000 Alaskans. Congressional Republicans are currently working to make massive cuts to government spending. While Trump and the GOP have vowed Medicaid wouldn't be cut, critics have argued the extent of the cuts would be tough to achieve without cutting programs like that. 'At this point, it looks like where we're really able to stand up for each other is more at the local level, and I think that she could protect Alaska from some of the things that's happening if she were here as governor,' Lee said. Heckendorn said the electorate may also be better for Democrats in 2026 amid expected backlash to Trump, standard for the sitting president, giving her 'tailwinds' to propel her forward. Even with headwinds last year, she almost won, he noted. He said Peltola's strength has been demonstrating an 'authenticity' that voters feel they can trust personally. Peltola has often spoken about her background working in the fishing and mining industries, coming from rural Alaska and growing up with guns. Peltola was the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress. 'Mary doesn't have to fake anything,' Heckendorn said. 'I think she's seen as an authentic person, an authentic Alaskan. I think that strength is going to apply in any of those races.'
Politico
03-03-2025
- Business
- Politico
Ballard plants a flag in Canada as tariff threat looms
Presented by Vanderbilt University and Washington University in St. Louis With Daniel Lippman BALLARD LANDS IN THE GREAT WHITE NORTH: Ballard Partners announced yet another addition to its roster of global partnerships. The firm today said it's teaming up with Quebec-based communications and public affairs firm TACT, offering Ballard a foothold in Canada just as trade tensions ratchet up with President Donald Trump's expected imposition of 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports at midnight tonight. — It's the latest expansion of the Ballard Global Alliance, which launched last year and includes strategic partnerships with consultancies across the globe, including in Japan, South Korea, Latin America, the U.K. and Italy. — 'Understanding the evolving U.S. political landscape is essential for businesses operating in Canada,' TACT co-founder Daniel Matte said in a statement, adding that the partnership 'will give our clients unparalleled access to Ballard Partners' expertise.' — Ballard is just the latest firm moving to establish ties across the border amid Trump's tariff threats and broader needling of the top U.S. ally. Several weeks before Trump took office, Capitol Counsel announced its own cross-border partnership with the Canadian firm Rubicon Strategy Inc., which the firms pledged would provide 'a seamless solution to clients seeking to influence policy and manage cross-border trade issues.' PELTOLA LANDS ON K STREET: Mary Peltola, the Alaska Democrat who unexpectedly flipped the state's lone congressional seat in 2022 but lost reelection last year, has joined the law and lobbying firm Holland & Hart as senior director of Alaska affairs. Anton McParland, who was Peltola's chief of staff, is also joining the firm as senior director of federal affairs. — Peltola is the latest big get for Holland & Hart, which last year hired President Donald Trump's former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to lead its lobbying practice and expand its presence in the nation's capital. The firm also counts former Trump acting EPA Deputy Administrator Doug Benevento among its ranks. — During Peltola's only term in Congress, she routinely bucked her party on energy and natural resources issues and sought to carve out a centrist lane in the Democratic caucus. Nearly all of Holland & Hart's federal lobbying clients work in the energy and mining space, disclosures show, including Rio Tinto Services, Global Mining Holding Company, Hudbay Minerals, Monarch Investments, Cenovus Energy and Diamondback Energy. ISRAEL HIRES SKDK, TARGETED VICTORY: The Democratic powerhouse firm SKDK on Friday registered under FARA for the Israeli government for work on Israeli hostages in Gaza, Daniel reports. — The filing said that SKDK was consulting with the Israeli foreign ministry on media relations and that a written contract and terms were still being finalized. The work focused on the tragedy of the Bibas family as the bodies of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were coming home from Gaza, according to a person familiar with the matter. — The work is being performed by a team from SKDK, Sloane & Company and a subsidiary of Targeted Victory, which registered as a foreign agent today. This is the first time that SKDK has worked for the government of Israel, but the firm has worked for numerous pro-Israel causes before, including helping American families with loved ones being held hostage. Happy Monday and welcome to PI. What will you be looking for in Trump's address to Congress tomorrow night? Drop me a line: coprysko@ And be sure to follow me on X: @caitlinoprysko. IF YOU MISSED IT OVER THE WEEKEND: Katie Miller, a key adviser to Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, is taking a leave of absence from P2 Public Affairs, the GOP communications and consulting firm at which she had been simultaneously advising clients, The Wall Street Journal's Josh Dawsey and C. Ryan Barber report, days after the paper highlighted the dual roles that her designation as a 'special government employee' allowed her to hold. — 'Two people familiar with Miller's decision said it was unclear whether she would return to the firm, and one of them said Miller told others she was leaving permanently,' per WSJ. 'It was Miller's decision to step away, the people said. She is expected to continue her role in the Trump White House, these people said.' FIRST IN PI — NEW FACES AT AMFREE CHAMBER: The American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce, a business group formed during the Biden administration to compete with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is standing up a new advisory council as it prepares to boost Trump's deregulatory agenda. — The council features former Ambassador to New Zealand and Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), former Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Gene Barr, former Trump lawyer Bobby Burchfield, Mark Colson of the Alabama Trucking Association, John Eddy of the Institute for American Innovation at America's Frontier Fund, Chris Furlow of the Texas Bankers Association, Dawn Grove of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, Frank Jemley of the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers, Kevin Kolevar of Dow, former Rep. Steve Stivers of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and Randall Ussery of Murray Hill Group. — The group also added Citadel and Citadel Securities global public affairs chief Cason Carter and California Business Roundtable President Rob Lapsley to its board of directors. The additions follow the AmFree Chamber's recruitment of Bill McGinley to lead its legal arm following McGinley's short-lived stint as White House counsel and then DOGE attorney. ALPINE GROUP FIRES LOBBYIST: The Alpine Group on Friday fired Courtney Johnson, a principal at the firm and head of its health care practice, after she was seen in a viral video making racist comments, per Daniel. Johnson had been at the top D.C. firm for more than two decades and was registered on behalf of numerous companies including AWS, Amgen, Leidos and Lyft, according to recent lobbying disclosures. — 'Following a thorough internal inquiry, Courtney Johnson's employment has been terminated, effective immediately, due to conduct inconsistent with company policies and standards,' the firm said in a statement. 'The views expressed are deeply offensive and inconsistent with our firm's values and culture.' Johnson didn't respond to requests for comment. NEW LOOK: HLP&R Advocacy is undergoing a rebrand and has added a top former aide to Secretary of State Marco Rubio as it retools for the new administration. The firm has changed its name to Penn Avenue Partners, a move co-founder Tim Hannegan said is aimed at reflecting 'our growing brand and the client services we provide on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.' — As part of the glow-up, the firm has also hired Lauren Reamy, who was Rubio's deputy chief of staff and legislative director in the Senate, as a senior vice president. Two other Republican lobbyists at the firm, former Johnny Isakson aide Jay Sulzmann and former Mario Díaz-Balart staffer Christina McGarry David, are receiving promotions — to senior vice president and vice president, respectively. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT: 'European Union politicians who helped shape the bloc's crackdown on Big Tech are trying to sway United States policymakers who've been listening to tech bros like X's Elon Musk and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg,' per POLITICO's Eliza Gkritsi and Max Griera. — But a delegation's trip to D.C. last month didn't go off without a hitch: After meeting with House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, the Ohio Republican fired off subpoenas to eight U.S. tech giants demanding they turn over their communications with foreign governments related to compliance with laws Jordan said are overly restrictive on free speech. — That illustrates the uphill battle for the bloc after Trump's administration 'took aim at EU rules on online content moderation and digital competition, saying these amount to government censorship and unfairly target American companies. Trump even threatened tariffs to fight back against foreign fines or restrictions on U.S. tech giants.' KNOWING JUSTIN PETERSON: 'A Washington, D.C., strategist and lobbyist with deep connections to the Republican Party, Justin Peterson is accustomed to fighting aggressively on behalf of powerful clients such as Exxon Mobil,' WSJ's Christopher M. Matthews and Jenny Strasburg write. — 'But at a November 2015 breakfast with an Israeli private investigator, Peterson launched a yearslong campaign that federal prosecutors now say crossed a line. As he put it in an email following the breakfast, Peterson wanted the investigator to 'operationalize the research on the bad guys.' According to prosecutors, a practice that led to something very specific: hacking into the email accounts of Exxon's enemies.' — 'Peterson hasn't been accused of wrongdoing or charged in connection with the alleged hacking, but his alleged role in commissioning the operation is described in detail in court documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.' His firm, DCI Group, 'cooperated with prosecutors in 2020 but the firm hasn't had contact with them in three years, according to a lawyer for DCI. The lawyer said prosecutors told DCI it wasn't a target.' In a post on X today, Peterson said: 'I follow the law and direct all our employees and consultants to do the same. I did not commission any hacking, nor would I ever condone it. To assert otherwise, as the WSJ does in its reporting is false and defamatory.' FLYING IN: Fly-in season is in full swing as talks for a potential stopgap spending bill and Republicans' reconciliation legislation heat up. Breakthrough T1D is on the Hill today and tomorrow to push for funding for type 1 diabetes research. — Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.), the only member of Congress who has type 1 diabetes, will speak with the attendees, who will urge lawmakers to renew the Special Diabetes Program, prevent cuts to indirect funding from NIH and retain key agency staff leading work related to type 1 diabetes. — The National Association of Broadcasters has more than 565 broadcasters from all 50 states coming to town this week. Tomorrow they'll hear from a slate of policymakers before blanketing the Hill to discuss their new campaign to update broadcast ownership rules and on legislation to maintain AM radio in new cars. IN MEMORIAM: 'Lincoln Díaz-Balart, a Cuban-American Republican politician who defended immigrants and fiercely opposed Fidel Castro's regime to help restore democracy in his native Cuba while serving for almost two decades in Congress representing South Florida, died on Monday at 70,' the Miami Herald's Nora Gámez Torres and Sarah Moreno write. Díaz-Balart's death was announced on X by his brother, Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-Fla.). — After leaving Congress in 2011, Lincoln Díaz-Balart set up shop on K Street, launching Western Hemisphere Strategies. He was registered to lobby for the Dominican Republic as well as the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, Taiwan's diplomatic outpost in Washington, as recently as January, according to DOJ filings. — And Shannon Oscar, a principal at The Oscar Group and managing director of the American Subcontractor Association Subcontractor Legal Defense Fund, died last week at the age of 50. She was an Anne Northup, Fred Thompson and Wayne Allard alum, and her funeral was today. SPOTTED at the Mr. C Hotel for a launch party for Forward Global's new Miami office, per a tipster: John Procter, Noe Garcia and Jose Mallea of Forward Global, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Christina Crespi of the Miami Downtown Development Authority, Florida state Rep. David Borrero, county commission Vice Chair Kionne McGhee, former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez, Alex Rodriguez-Roig of Boys and Girls Club Miami, Adam Mehl and 'Disrupt' podcast host Tony Delgado. Jobs report — Tatyana Bolton will be a principal at Monument Advocacy, leading its cybersecurity practice. She most recently was a senior security policy manager at Google's Security Center of Excellence. — Jon Waclawski is now general counsel and senior vice president of legal at the National Association of Realtors. He was previously vice president of political advocacy for the trade group. — David Newman is rejoining Morrison Foerster as a partner and co-chair of the national security and crisis management groups. He most recently served as principal deputy assistant attorney general for DOJ's National Security Division. — Jack Schuler has joined Invariant as a principal in its national security practice. Schuler was previously director of government services and budget policy at Boeing. — Justin Bullock will be vice president of policy at Americans for Responsible Innovation. He was most recently a senior researcher at Convergence Analysis. — Ed Siskel is now a partner at Latham & Watkins in its white-collar defense and investigations practice and a member of the litigation and trial department. He most recently was White House counsel for Joe Biden. — Megan Coyne is joining Mercury Public Affairs' national team as vice president. She previously was deputy director of platforms in the Biden White House Office of Digital Strategy. — Nora Murphy is now a junior associate at Ervin Graves Strategy Group. Murphy previously joined as a research associate last fall. — Former House Financial Services Committee Chair Patrick McHenry has joined Ondo Finance as vice chair of the advisory board. — Liz Johnson is joining Emerson Collective as senior director of policy and government affairs. She previously was chief of staff to Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and is a Kelly Ayotte and Susan Collins alum. — Christine Emba is now a resident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. She most recently was a staff writer at The Atlantic. — Kyle Wiley is now senior manager of global government affairs at ServiceNow. He previously was co-founder of Connector Inc. and is an Energy Department alum. — Burden Walker is joining Arnold & Porter as a partner. He previously was head of DOJ's Consumer Protection Branch and senior counselor to the attorney general. — Erick Sanchez is now communications director for the Ohio Valley and Southeast at the Laborers' International Union of North America. He previously was director of communications at the Lubetzky Family Foundation. — Ilissa Ocko is now senior climate scientist at Spark Climate Solutions. She previously was a senior adviser to the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate. — Jason Holsman is now director of government affairs at the Coalition for Community Solar Access. He previously was a commissioner on the Missouri Public Service Commission. — Alfonso Guida Jr. is joining consulting firm Healthsperien as a partner in its mental health and addiction policy practice. Guida was most recently president and CEO of Guide Consulting Services. — Prentice Eager will be vice president of data at Frontline Strategies. He most recently was the data director at the NRCC and is an RGA and RNC alum. — Squire Patton Boggs has promoted Austin Harrison to partner in the public policy practice and Adam Hensel-Briscoe and Jose Martin to partners in the government investigations and white collar practice. Katy Fisher has been promoted to principal in the government investigations practice. New Joint Fundraisers None. New PACs Be American PAC (Hybrid PAC) California First (Super PAC) Effective America PAC (Super PAC) New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS Alb Solutions: Centene Corporations Ballard Partners: Moss & Associates Ballard Partners: The League Of Credit Unions & Affiliates Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Unit Solutions, Inc. Cgcn Group, LLC: Leidos, Inc. Cgcn Group, LLC: Oklo Inc. Clark Hill Public Strategies LLC: National Automobile Dealers Association Clark Hill Public Strategies LLC: Wacker Polysilicon North America LLC Clark Hill Public Strategies LLC: West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. Corcoran & Associates, Inc. Dba Corcoran Partners: Central Florida Expressway Authority Corcoran & Associates, Inc. Dba Corcoran Partners: Promise Fund Of Florida, Inc. Corcoran & Associates, Inc. Dba Corcoran Partners: Seafarer Exploration Corp Drummond Woodsum Strategic Consulting LLC: Maine Childrens Trust Government Counsel, LLC: Thorn Run Partners (Obo Delta Dental Plans Association) Jackson Walker L.L.P.: The North American Coal Corporation K&L Gates, LLP: Pentagon Memorial Fund Inc. Mercury Public Affairs, LLC: Americans Together For Ukraine Mindset Advocacy, LLC: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (Smbc) Mullen Consulting LLC: Transportation Intermediaries Association O'Keeffe Shahmoradi Strategies, LLC: City Of Lubbock, Texas On Behalf Of Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport O'Keeffe Shahmoradi Strategies, LLC: Commercial Vehicle Training Association Onmessage Public Strategies: Merit Spread Foundation Inc. Ryan LLC: Ryan, LLC Ryan Strategic LLC: Starfighters Space Tripp Hollander Advisors: Wellstar Mcg Health Velocity Government Relations, LLC: Ocean Infinity-America Velocity Government Relations, LLC: Space Kinetic Washington Navigators: The University Of New Orleans Research And Technology Foundation New Lobbying Terminations Government Counsel, LLC: Delta Dental Of California Hlp&R Advocacy, LLC: Ati, Inc. Hlp&R Advocacy, LLC: Blackrock Funds Services Group LLC Hlp&R Advocacy, LLC: Fleet Portfolio, LLC Mr. Marco Gonzales: Rhea Space Activity The Petrizzo Group, Inc.: American Association For Homecare The Petrizzo Group, Inc.: North Carolina Healthcare Association Velocity Government Relations, LLC: Exploration Laboratories LLC, Aka Exlabs Velocity Government Relations, LLC: Innoveering, LLC Velocity Government Relations, LLC: Nexa Capital Partners
