Lobbying

Facebook’s top Democrat leaves lobbying post

The top Democrat on Facebook’s policy team, who is a former chief of staff to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), has left the social media company.

Catlin O’Neill left her post as director of public policy, a Facebook spokesperson confirmed. She had worked at the company since May 2013 after serving as chief of staff in Pelosi’s personal office. Before that, she was Pelosi’s deputy director of legislative operations.

“As a committed Democrat and one that’s devoted to the House of Representatives as an institution, I’m sure it became too much,” a former Hill colleague told The Hill. 

Punchbowl News first reported that she left Facebook, citing a close friend of O’Neill that her “decision to leave Facebook came to a head after cumulative effects over the years.”

“She’s a fierce advocate and advocated both internally and externally for meaningful change. She’s done amazing things in her career and will continue to do so,” the close friend told Punchbowl News.

O’Neill is the granddaughter of former Speaker Tip O’Neill (D-Mass.).

Facebook announced on Monday it is taking down content that contains the phase, “Stop the Steal” and it recently suspended President Trump’s account at least until President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, all in the wake of last week’s violent and deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.