We would be remiss if we did not in some way mention that Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader accused of money laundering and conspiracy, was convicted on felony charges over the Thanksgiving break. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 20, though DeLay’s legal team will surely appeal the conviction.
In other lobbying news:
- The American League of Lobbyists held its annual meeting Tuesday. The group announced its new leadership, which includes:
- President: Howard Marlowe, President, Marlowe and Company
- 1st VP: Monte Ward, President, Advanced Capitol Consulting
- 2nd VP: Jim Hickey, Vice President, Government Affairs, Day & Zimmerman
- Secretary: Pam Whitted, Vice President, Government Affairs, Natl Stone Sand Gravel Assn.
- Treasurer: Kathy Calhoun Wood, Associate, Hurt, Norton & Associates
- Board Members: Michael Aitken, Director of Governmental Affairs, Society for Human Resource Management, Donald Erickson, Director of Government Relations, Security Industry Association, Wright Andrews, Partner, Butera & Andrews
- The group also unveiled a new PR campaign, kicked off with this video, designed to educate on the lobbying profession, the first-ever offensive effort to sway public opinion of lobbyists. President-elect Howard Marlowe is expected to further the campaign to improve popular perception of the profession.
- The resignation of Nick Calio, the former chief lobbyist at Citigroup, who has left the company to pursue a position with the Air Transport Association, has drawn attention to what appears to be a mass exodus from the bank. In addition to Calio, both the top Republican and Democrat lobbyists (Heather Wingate and Jimmy Ryan, respectively) and two other GR staffers have departed as well.
Tags: American League of Lobbyists, Citigroup, Citigroup lobbyists, lobbying PR, Nick Calio, Tom DeLay
