TransUnion beefs up lobbying presence

The credit-reporting bureau TransUnion is fortifying its lobbying presence with a spate of new hires as lawmakers are scrutinizing the industry in the wake of the massive Equifax data breach.

A disclosure form that appeared online Friday shows that the agency has hired nine lobbyists from the CGCN Group, a Republican lobbying firm.

TransUnion did not immediately respond when asked for comment.

{mosads}Lawmakers have been wrestling over how to respond to the Equifax breach that exposed the personal data of more than 145 million Americans. Last week former CEO Richard Smith testified four times on Capitol Hill.

Some Democrats are calling for stiffer regulations for the three credit bureaus, though top Republicans are reluctant to crack down on the industry.

According to TransUnion’s disclosure form, the nine lobbyists, all former GOP congressional aides, were enlisted to advocate on “issues affecting data security, privacy and cyber-security.”