Bottom Line

• DEFENSE. Mercury/Clark & Weinstock has been hired by Northrop Grumman Financial Services Center to lobby on “defense appropriations and authorization,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Greg Lankler, a former professional aide to the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee, is lobbying for the defense contractor.

• LEGAL. Republic Consulting has been hired by Bates Capitol Group Inc., on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform, to “oppose the Disclose Act. Help ensure rationality, fairness and more certainty in the legal system. Monitor and oversight of studies mandated in section 929Z and 929Y of the Dodd/Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Support H.R.5, Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely, Healthcare Act of 2011. Oppose Arbitration Fairness Act (S.987, H.R.187 Consumer Mobile Fairness Act (S.623 H.R.592),” according to lobbying disclosure records. Hunter Bates, former chief of staff to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Lauren O’Brien, once deputy chief of staff to then-Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Ky.), are lobbying for the institute.

{mosads}• TAX. Venn Strategies has been hired by AmericasMart to lobby on “general small-business tax issues,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Brian Reardon, a former senior aide to President George W. Bush, and Melissa Bonicelli, once legislative director to ex-Rep. Bill Archer (R-Texas), are lobbying for the company.

Raffaniello & Associates has been hired by Vulcan Inc., a Seattle-based investment company, to lobby on “H.R. 8 — taxation of investment income,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Patrick Raffaniello, once chief of staff to former Rep. Bill Brewster (D-Okla.), is lobbying for the company.

• TECHNOLOGY. American Continental Group has been hired by Hewlett-Packard to lobby on “fiscal-cliff issues,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Shawn Smeallie, once special assistant for legislative affairs to President George H.W. Bush, and Sheryl Cohen, former chief of staff for then-Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), are lobbying for the information technology company. 

• TOURISM. Porter Gordon Silver Communications has been hired by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce to lobby on “tourism promotion, transportation, gaming,” according to lobbying disclosure records. Former Rep. Jon Porter (R-Nev.) and Bob Cochran, once chief of staff to Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.), are lobbying for the trade group.