Connie Mack registers to lobby

Former Rep. Connie Mack (R-Fla.) has registered to lobby for a group that supported one of his major legislative efforts in Congress.

{mosads}Under the firm Mack Strategies, Mack has filed to lobby for American Task Force Argentina, his first client.

Since Jan. 28, Mack has been lobbying on the “Judgement [sic] Evading Foreign States Act,” described as legislation that would “hold medium and wealthy nations accountable for the repayment of their debts to US creditors and to uphold US court judgments against these same nations,” according to lobbying disclosure records.

American Task Force Argentina has pursued the South American country since its 2001 debt default, seeking repayment of billions owed to U.S. investors. Mack was a champion on the issue during his time on Capitol Hill.

“It’s a great idea to work with someone who is knowledgeable and passionate about the issue,” said Robert Raben, executive director of the task force, about Mack’s hire.

Among the members of American Task Force Argentina is hedge fund Elliott Associates, which is managed by Elliott Management and founded by Paul Singer, a major conservative donor.

Employees of Elliott Management were the second-largest contributor to Mack’s failed run for Senate in 2012, contributing almost $47,000, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Mack put forward legislation in Congress to force Argentina to repay its debts. The bill, introduced in 2011 and called the Judgment Evading Foreign States Accountability Act, would have directed the Securities and Exchange Commission to deny access to U.S. capital markets to “judgment evading foreign states,” like Argentina, among other actions.

American Task Force Argentina lobbied in support of Mack’s legislation.

A House Foreign Affairs subcommittee that Mack led at the time marked up the bill during Congress’s 2012 lame-duck session.

Last month in a case against NML Capital — another hedge fund linked to Singer — Argentina’s government asked the Supreme Court to reverse lower court rulings to erase its debt. NML has said Argentina owes the hedge fund $1.6 billion, according to past court judgments.

Mack is also listed on the website of Liberty Partners Group as a partner for that lobby firm — along with his father, former Sen. Connie Mack (R-Fla.).

Messages left for the younger Mack were not returned.