Bottom Line

• HEALTHCARE. Gephardt Group Government Affairs has been hired by Healiance Pharmaceuticals, a West Orange, N.J.-based pharmaceutical company, to lobby on “innovative diabetes treatment,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Janice O’Connell, a former professional staffer for the Senate Banking and Foreign Relations Committees, is lobbying for the company.

Novartis Corp. has hired Ice Miller Strategies to lobby on “LHHS appropriations, vaccine issues [and] other issues related to healthcare,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Graham Hill, former staff director and senior counsel to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Clayton Heil, former deputy staff director and general counsel to the Senate Appropriations Committee, are lobbying for the company.

{mosads}• TAX. Darden Restaurants Inc. has hired Miller & Chevalier to lobby on “tax reform issues of interest to the food and beverage industry,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Marc Gerson, former tax counsel for the House Ways and Means Committee, is lobbying for the restaurant chain.

• TELECOMMUNICATIONS. NBC Universal has hired Cabralgroup to lobby on “customs reauthorization legislation” and “rogue sites legislation,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Victor Cabral, former counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee, is lobbying for the company.

 AT&T Services Inc. has hired the Gibson Group to lobby on “issues related to AT&T/T-Mobile merger,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Joseph Gibson, once chief minority counsel to the House Judiciary Committee and chief of staff to Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), is lobbying for the company.

• TRANSPORTATION. Allegiant Travel Co. has hired Cassidy & Associates to lobby on the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill as well as the agency’s rulemaking proceedings. Kai Anderson, former deputy chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), is lobbying for the company.