Bottom Line

• FINANCIAL SERVICES. The Online Lenders Alliance has brought on a former congressman for lobbying help. Former Rep. Walt Minnick (D-Idaho) of the Majority Group is lobbying for the alliance on “federal regulation of online lending.” Also on the account are Minnick’s former chief of staff, Rob Ellsworth, as well as Hadley Sosnoff and Alexander Perry.  

Visa has added to its stable of lobbyists. Cypress Advocacy is now lobbying for the credit card giant on “interchange and cybersecurity.” Brant Imperatore, former senior counsel for the House Financial Services Committee; and William Mueller, once a deputy assistant secretary at the Treasury Department, are among those representing Visa. The company has a long roster of outside firms working on its behalf, including Crossroads Strategies and Cornerstone Government Affairs.

{mosads}• HEALTHCARE. Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc. has brought on Avenue Solutions to lobby on issues related to the Food and Drug Administration and biogenerics. Tracy Spicer, once deputy chief of staff to the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), and Yvette Fontenot, former senior policy director for the White House Office of Health Reform, are among the lobbyists working on the account. 

• MEDIA. Another press organization is tracking the media shield bill. The Online News Association has hired Dow Lohnes to lobby on the Free Flow of Information Act of 2013 and issues related to press freedom. Jessica Lenard, once a legislative assistant to Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), is lobbying for the journalism group.