By Caitlin Oprysko

Presented by Humane Society Legislative Fund

With Daniel Lippman

SCHATZ’S CHIEF DECAMPS FOR K STREET: Eric Einhorn is headed back to the private sector after spending the five years in the Senate, most recently serving as chief of staff to Hawaii Democrat Brian Schatz. Einhorn is joining Jenner & Block as of counsel, where he will bolster the firm’s tech, telecom and internet practice.

— Before moving up to become Schatz’s chief of staff in 2019, Einhorn was a top telecom adviser to the senator while he served as ranking member of the Senate Commerce Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet Subcommittee. He also worked for five years at the FCC in the early aughts before moving into roles on K Street with AT&T and Windstream Communications.

FIRST IN PI — AXIOM LAUNCHES LOBBYING SHOP: Axiom Strategies, the GOP consulting juggernaut whose founder Jeff Roe leads the super PAC effectively in charge of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ 2024 field operation, is getting into the lobbying game. Axiom has formally launched AxAdvocacy, which will focus on government affairs and public relations. The new entity will fold in Axiom’s former public affairs arm Clout Public Affairs.

— Ashlee Rich Stephenson, the chief political strategist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, will serve simultaneously as AxAdvocacy’s president. Steve Chartan, who previously served as chief of staff to longtime Roe ally Ted Cruz (R-Texas); Bobby Babcock, a former managing director at Clark Hill and an ex-Republican Hill aide; and Samantha Dravis, a former Trump EPA official and RAGA and Rule of Law Defense Fund alum, round out the firm’s government affairs team.

— AxAdvocacy’s PR team will be led by former NRCC and Senate Leadership Fund spokesperson Chris Pack, former NRCC and NRSC spokesperson Bob Salera and onetime HuffPost managing editor Jimmy Soni.

— While Clout was previously registered as a foreign agent of several foreign governments — including those of Morocco, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo — until earlier this year, neither Clout nor Axiom had registered to lobby at the federal level, disclosures show.

— An investor prospectus obtained by The Washington Post earlier this year showed Axiom’s roster of more than 1,200 clients included more than 170 corporate customers, some of whom have become AxAdvocacy’s first lobbying clients. Since April, the firm has registered to lobby for Charter Communications, Delta Air Lines, Comcast, W. W. Grainger and Southern Methodist University.

— “For years, Axiom Strategies and our family of companies have had a thriving public relations practice through Clout Public Affairs,” Axiom President Rob Phillips said in a statement. “With Clout folding into AxAdvocacy, we are expanding our services by adding fresh talent, new capabilities with our government relations team, and building on the tremendous foundation of clients we have been proud to service for decades. True to our brand, we look forward to disrupting ‘business as usual’ by offering best-in-class service with AxAdvocacy.”

Happy Wednesday and welcome to PI. Send tips: [email protected]. And be sure to follow me on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.

A message from Humane Society Legislative Fund:

A monumental threat is facing American farmers. The “Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression” (EATS) Act, H.R. 4417/S. 2019—or any version of it—could have devastating consequences for farmers by picking winners and losers in the marketplace and benefiting foreign-owned conglomerates. Take Action: Tell Congress not to poison the Farm Bill with the EATS Act or anything like it. https://hslf.org/farmers

BUSINESS GROUPS CLAMOR FOR FAA EXTENSION: Nearly two dozen aviation and other business groups warned lawmakers Tuesday against allowing a lapse in the FAA’s current authorizations, which are set to expire this weekend at the same time as funding for the rest of the government.

— “Any interruption of the FAA’s programs — even a few hours or days — would undermine public confidence and interrupt progress on critical initiatives to advance safety, efficiency, innovation, and airport infrastructure,” groups including the Aerospace Industries Association, Airlines for America, U.S. Travel Association, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Cargo Airline Association, the Consumer Technology Association and the Chamber wrote in a letter to the Hill.

— The stopgap spending bill introduced Tuesday in the Senate would extend authorizations for FAA programs through the end of the year as lawmakers in both chambers work to hash out an agreement on a long-term FAA bill. But the fate of a continuing resolution remains uncertain in the House, and now members in both chambers are putting together standalone FAA extensions in the meantime, our Pro Transportation team reports.

SILENCE IS GOLDEN: “Many of the top financial donors to U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez will not say whether they will continue supporting his campaign in the face of a scathing federal bribery indictment against the New Jersey Democrat,” CNBC’s Brian Schwartz reports.

— “Just one out of the more than a dozen major political action committees and individuals that historically have backed Menendez told CNBC they would still contribute to him as he seeks reelection next year. The pro-Israel NorPAC told donors in a memo Friday hours after Menendez was indicted that, ‘It is our intention to continue to support his re-election efforts.’”

— “One individual, Baleon Capital founder Jon Kaiden, told CNBC in an email he does not plan to support Menendez in his campaign. Kaiden donated $10,800 to the Menendez Victory Fund in 2021, according to a Federal Election Commission filing.”

— Menendez’s spots on the Senate Banking, Finance and Foreign Relations committees — the latter of which he temporarily stepped down as chair — “made him a favored recipient of donations from U.S. corporations’ PACs, and PACs focused on foreign affairs.” And while the senator has resisted his colleagues’ calls to resign, “several top party donors have privately told Menendez’s campaign that he should resign, according to a longtime past supporter who spoke with CNBC.”

EV TAX BREAK SPARKS CROSSTOWN LOBBYING SPAT: The Biden administration’s implementation of a new $7,500 tax credit for hurrying along the transition to electric vehicles is fueling a lobbying clash between Big 3 automakers Ford and General Motors — with the future of the U.S. EV market at stake, The Wall Street Journal’s Andrew Duehren reports.

— At issue is language in last year’s Inflation Reduction Act barring the EV tax credit from being used on “cars that contain battery components from any source that the U.S. deems a ‘foreign entity of concern,’ a vague term meant to reduce American reliance on Chinese batteries and materials,” per WSJ.

— The administration is weighing how narrowly it will define that requirement, and Ford, “with its plans to license Chinese technology to make cheaper, iron-based batteries in Michigan, has lobbied for a more flexible interpretation of the ‘foreign entity’ rule. If its planned batteries aren’t eligible for the car-buyer subsidy, Ford executives have indicated they could scale back the investment; on Monday, the company paused construction of the new battery plant.”

— “GM isn’t planning investments with Chinese battery firms — and could see Ford gain a critical technological and cost advantage in the EV race if its deal goes forward. GM executives and lobbyists have called for a strict ‘foreign entity of concern’ rule that would prevent such licensing arrangements,” though a spokesperson denied that the concern was directed specifically toward its rival.

FLYING IN: The American Trucking Associations’ moving and storage conference, comprised of moving companies, large van lines and industry suppliers, is bringing nearly five dozen movers to town for the group’s second fly-in. Movers will meet with 60 Hill offices to discuss standardizing access policies across U.S. military bases, push for reinstatement of the moving expense deduction and policies to curb moving fraud, like more broker registration.

SPOTTED at a reception hosted by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy at the offices of Forbes Tate Partners supporting California House candidate Scott Baugh, per a tipster: John Clarey of Clarey Capital Group, Henry Pfirrmann of HOG Resources, Rodger Currie of GRAIL, Joel Szabat of Strong Port Strategies and Jeff Strunk, Bob Dold, Frank Steinberg, Kevin McGrann, and Ed Reno of Forbes Tate.

A message from Humane Society Legislative Fund:

— Chary Sathea has joined DCI Group as a digital director and Hannah Student has joined as a senior account executive. Sathea was previously a senior account supervisor for digital at Praytell and Student was previously a client strategy director at Targeted Victory.

— Aru Shiney-Ajay has been named executive director of the Sunrise Movement. She’s been with the climate group for six years, most recently as strategic director.

— Tobin Marcus has joined Wolfe Research to head its U.S. public policy and politics unit. He was previously senior U.S. policy and politics strategist at Evercore ISI and is a Joe Biden alum.

— Antonio White has launched the advisory services and executive positioning firm McCann Enterprises. He most recently was senior vice president and public policy executive for government affairs at Bank of America and is a Biden Treasury Department alum.

— Tom Hart has been named president and CEO of InterAction. He previously was president of the ONE Campaign.

— P2 Public Affairs is adding Scott Paradise, Allison Harris, Chris Hartline and Katie Miller as principals. Paradise most recently was campaign manager for Herschel Walker’s Georgia Senate bid. Harris most recently was White House correspondent for NewsNation. Hartline most recently was a senior adviser to Sen. Rick Scott’s (R-Fla.) reelect. Miller previously was comms director for former Vice President Mike Pence.

— Karin O’Leary has joined NTIA as the agency’s first deputy assistant secretary for operations and administration. She most recently was lead account partner for IBM’s business portfolio for DOJ and the U.S. courts.

— Tucker Middleton has returned to Putnam Partners as a partner. She previously was principal and executive producer at McKenna Media.

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Monica Tranel Victory Fund (Monica Tranel for Montana, Montana Democratic Party)
Robert Garcia Joint Fundraising Committee (Rep. Robert Garcia, Freshman Protection PAC)

Blue Moon PAC (Super PAC)
Committee to Elect Michael W. Huckabee (Super PAC)
Global Air Logistics and Training, Inc. Political Action Committee (GALT Aerospace PAC) (PAC)
Let's Get To This PC (PAC)
Vote Blue America (PAC)

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Ajw, Inc.: Opal Fuels
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Juice Products Association, Inc.
Delta Strategy Group: Falconx Bravo Inc.
K&L Gates, LLP: American Association Of Port Authorities
Leatherstocking LLC: Plurus Strategies (On Behalf Of Enginuity Power Systems)
Lne Group: Suncoke Energy
Modern Fortis LLC: Academy Medtech Ventures
Modern Fortis LLC: Dc Police Union
Modern Fortis LLC: Dive Equipment & Marketing Association
Modern Fortis LLC: Pine Belt Cellular, Inc
Philanthropy Roundtable: Philanthropy Roundtable
Plurus Strategies, LLC: Enginuity Power Systems
The O Team LLC: Gephardt Group Government Affairs On Behalf Of Forta
Williams And Jensen, Pllc: Rochester Tailored Clothing, Inc.
Brody Group L.L.C. Public Affairs: Blue Force Technologies

Marijuana Policy Project: Marijuana Policy Project

A message from Humane Society Legislative Fund:

Some politicians have hatched a radical scheme which could destroy states' rights and eliminate hundreds of laws that preserve our farms, safeguard our food, and protect our animals.

The “Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression” (EATS) Act, H.R. 4417/S. 2019—or any version of it—could have devastating consequences for family farmers. By threatening hundreds of state and local laws and undermining states’ rights, EATS empowers Congress and the federal government to pick winners and losers in the marketplace. This could disproportionately hurt family farms and benefit certain large producers, some of which are foreign-owned.

The EATS Act, H.R. 4417/S. 2019 is a huge federal overreach that would be disastrous for American farmers, and they need your help to make sure it's not included in this year's Farm Bill.

Take Action: Tell Congress not to poison the Farm Bill with the EATS Act or anything like it.
https://hslf.org/farmers

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