Politics

Sunrise (2/23/11)

By Paul Blumenthal

US COMPANIES LOBBIED TO KEEP LIBYAN MARKET OPEN FOR BUSINESS

--Sunlight: "According to lobbying disclosure reports, fifteen companies and two trade associations listed Libyan issues on their lobbying disclosure forms since President George W. Bush lifted economic sanctions on Libya in 2004. Libya?s large oil reserves, the biggest of any African nation, were the main focus of the lobbying efforts in Washington. ... These companies include a who?s who of international oil companies including ExxonMobil, BP, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, Marathon Oil, Occidental Petroleum, Shell, and Hess Corporation. The non-energy firms lobbying on Libya include Boeing, Caterpillar, Dow Chemical, Fluor Corporation, Halliburton, Motorola, and Raytheon. All of these companies have been engaged in business deals or attempted to enter the Libyan market over the past six years. ... Lobbying was a regular feature as these companies sought to protect their new investments and get the U.S. government to smooth out business problems with the erratic regime. One issue that combined both of these lobbying topics came about from one amendment proposed to deal with state sponsors of terrorism."

KOCH OPENS LOBBY SHOP IN MADISON

--Capital Times: "The billionaire brothers whose political action committee gave Gov. Scott Walker $43,000 and helped fund a multi-million dollar attack ad campaign against his opponent during the 2010 gubernatorial election have quietly opened a lobbying office in Madison just off the Capitol Square. ... Koch Companies Public Sector LLC occupies a seventh-floor suite at 10 E. Doty St. According to an unidentified tenant there, the lobbying group moved in two weeks before Walker was elected governor on November 2. ... According to the Government Accountability Board's website, the firm has seven lobbyists who "represent various Koch Industries Inc. companies on public affairs matters, including Flint Hills Resources, LP, an energy purchaser and refiner & transporter of petroleum and Georgia-Pacific, LLC a manufacturer of paper, wood products and building materials." The group's lobbying interests are listed as "the environment, energy, taxation, business, policy and other areas affecting Koch Industries, Inc. companies."

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

--The Hill: "The debate over earmarks is far from finished in the Senate, Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.) signaled in a recent letter to colleagues. ... Boxer and Inhofe have asked senators to submit requests for specific projects in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), a multiyear authorization bill, despite a pledge from President Obama to veto all legislation that includes earmarks. ... Boxer, the chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Inhofe, ranking Republican on the panel, were careful not to include the word ?earmark? in their letter, sent Friday. ... The lawmakers, however, note the requests might have to be disclosed under the requirements of Senate Rule 44, which many senators believe defines earmarks."

FORD STAYS ON THE WALL ST. MERRY-GO-ROUND

--Deal Book: "Harold Ford, the former congressman and Merrill Lynch banker, is joining Morgan Stanley. ... Mr. Ford, who joined Merrill in 2007 and stayed on after its sale to Bank of America, will be a senior client manager at Morgan Stanley."

Full post as published by Sunlight Foundation on February 23, 2011 (boomark / email).