Oil, Pharma Lobbyists Remain Big Bundlers For Congressional Democrats
Lobbyists for several major oil, weapons, and pharmaceutical companies and trade groups continue to pour big money into the Democratic National Campaign Committee. According to recent FEC filings, the body governing Congressional Democrat campaigns received over $614,000 from lobbyist-bundled contributions in June, bringing their total to north of $2.5 Million since the beginning of the year. Furthermore, many of the lobbyists who bundled for the DCCC have ties to some problematic companies—at least when it comes to the party's rhetoric, specifically when it comes to the oil and gas industry.
Kate Keating, lobbyist for The Duberstein Group, bundled $115,000 for the DCCC in June. This year, she has petsonally lobbied on behalf of oil giant BP on issues of energy oversight, while other members of her firm represented the company in fighting against a proposed methane fee. Keating has also represented pharmaceutical trade association PhRMA, as well as industry staples Pfizer and Gilead on issues related to drug pricing, intellectual property, and trade. Military contractors such as Northrop Grumman have hired Keating and Duberstein Group to represent them as well.
Steven Elmendorf of Subject Matter bundled $75,000 for the Democrats last month, bringing his total to $142,000 for the cycle. Elmendorf and his firm have also been paid to represent BP on issues related to oil and gas, and Elmendorf personally represented the company on issues of a proposed methane fee, which BP, and the industry as a whole, was strongly against. Subject Matter has also worked for defense contractors such as General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman this year, as well as pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, and investment banking powerhouses Goldman Sachs and Blackstone Group. Like Keating's firm mentioned previously, Elmendorf has represented Samsung and other semiconductor manufacturers in efforts to push through the CHIPS Act.
David Thomas of Mehlman, Castagnetti, Rosen, & Thomas raised $74,000 for the DCCC, bringing his year-to-date total to nearly $180,000. Thomas has represented trade association American Chemistry Council (which is made up of the nation’s leading plastics manufacturers and fuel companies) to monitor legislation, methane fees included. He also is part of a team lobbying on behalf of Chevron, keeping a close eye on the Biden administration's stance on the oil and gas industry, with a special interest in pipeline issues.
Arshi Siddiqui, former policy adviser to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi bundled $105,000 in June, was part of the firm Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Field's team advising Congress on behalf of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Purdue Pharma (UCC) en route to their controversial bankruptcy settlement with the disgraced Sackler family. Siddiqui also represents CVS Health (itself a member of the UCC) on issues related to corporate tax and healthcare issues. Likewise, Siddiqui has lobbied on a myriad of issues for the San Francisco based Salesforce, of which his former boss, Speaker Pelosi (and her husband) keep a large investment in.
Other notable bundlers include Richard Sullivan of State Federal Strategies, who has a notable client in Keystone Pipeline owners TC Energy; Scott Parven of mega firm Akin, Gump, et. al., who represents private equity firm Argentum Creek Partners in their decade long pursuit for compensation regarding a Khazakstani oil company they were the primary investors in being suddenly nationalized by the nation in 2010; and Heather Podesta of Invariant, who has a notable client herself in controversial surveillance technology firm Palantir.
Prior to June, the DCCC had received over $500,000 in bundled donations from lobbyist David Reid of Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber, & Schreck who, among others, has notable clients in military contractors BAE Systems and Honeywell. Kevin Casey of S-3, who represent the American Peteoleum Institute, has also bundled $117,000 for Democrats in Congress this year. DCCC has also received $100,000 from Peck Madigan Jones lobbyist John Michael Gonzalez, who represents pharma giant Merck, as well as their trade group, PhRMA.