Bottom Line: Black soccer nonprofit signs federal lobbyist to roster
Sports
Porter Wright Morris & Arthur registered to promote the impact of Black Players for Change, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit made up of Black players, coaches and staff from Major League Soccer working to bridge racial equality gaps in soccer and society. Beau Rothschild, former members outreach director for the House Administration Committee, will work on the account.
Electric vehicles
Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company Tesla hired Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld to lobby on issues related to battery storage and international market access. The team of lobbyists includes Brian Pomper, a former trade adviser with the Senate Finance Committee and Virgil Miller, a former House Energy and Commerce staffer and chief of staff to former Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.).
Live performances
Two former members of Congress are part of the Akin team that registered to lobby for the Reporting Innovation in Touring Entertainment (R.I.T.E) Royalties Coalition, which advocates for “transparent & equitable live performance licensing and royalty distribution,” according to the new disclosure. Former Reps. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), who chaired the Judiciary Committee, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) will work on the account.
Health care
The weight loss company Noom hired McDermottPlus, formerly McDermott+Consulting, to lobby on issues related to virtual care. Rachel Stauffer, former health policy director for Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), will work on the account.
Aviation
U.S Aviation, the aviation academy for training new pilots, hired The Vogel Group to assist with “VA determinations for private v. public designations when providing federal funds to flight schools with veterans.” Matt Kellen, founder of The Keelen Group and a GOP strategist, will work on the account.
Banking
PNC Bank hired Forbes Tate to lobby on issues related to financial services. One of the lobbyists on the account is Ed Hill, former senior vice president and head of government affairs for the Bank Policy Institute and a Bank of America alum.