K Street Files: Passing the Hat
Former President George W. Bush may be an afterthought in Washington, D.C., but a handful of lobbyists apparently still hold him near and dear to their hearts.
[IMGCAP(1)]Now residing in Dallas, Bush is hitting the speaking circuit and building a presidential library at Southern Methodist University, ex-first lady Laura Bush’s alma mater.
And a handful of GOP lobbyists are helping the 43rd president pay for the construction costs — well, sort of. As of early this week, three lobbyists disclosed contributions toward the estimated $500 million price tag of the George W. Bush Presidential Library, according to disclosure statements filed with the Secretary of the Senate for the last six months of 2009.
Shell Oil Co. lobbyist Elizabeth Stolpe gave the library a $1,000 check in December, while IBM lobbyist Chris Padilla, a former Bush aide, wrote a $500 check for his old boss’ library. Robert Powers, a National Religious Broadcasters lobbyist, gave the Bush library $50 late last year.
Akin Gump Flying High. Dubai and the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority aren’t leaving their contact with the U.S. government to themselves. Both entities have brought on Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld to act as their lobbyists, according to recent Foreign Agents Registration Act filings. Unlike most FARA filings, Akin Gump did not include its contract and does not specify how long or how much the country and the aviation agency are paying.
“Representation will be billed on an hourly basis with no specified time period,— the registration notes. The filing also states that the firm will be providing “advice and communication with U.S. Officials regarding antitrust air transportation investigation.— Mark Botti, co-leader of Akin Gump’s antitrust practice, is named on the account. Botti did not return a call or e-mail request for comment.
Health Care 911. Congressional action on health care reform’s future may be uncertain, but the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians and the American Osteopathic Association aren’t letting the legislation die a quiet death.
The trio of associations sent President Barack Obama and Congressional leaders a letter Monday urging action. Representing 300,000 physician and medical student members, the groups called for accelerated funding and for new incentives to improve delivery of care. “We urge Congress and the administration to complete the task by seeking agreement on a legislative pathway to ensure that essential reforms with the above policies are enacted into law,— the groups wrote.
K Street Moves. John Schall has joined the Parkinson’s Action Network as deputy chief executive officer. Schall, who previously worked as a health care lobbyist at Jefferson Government Relations, was a former aide to then-Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.).
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