Firm News
Press Releases | Articles | White Papers

Lobbyists get ready for new day in D.C. Political tide turns: Several Atlanta-based firms are poised to benefit as Democrats take the reins of power from the Republicans.

By Rachel Tobin Ramos, Tammy Joyner
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Saturday, January 17, 2009
From his 12th-floor office, Washington lawyer Ted Hester has an enviable view of Tuesday’s inaugural activities. His employer, King & Spalding’s office is a few hundred yards from the White House.

“There’s a presidential viewing stand right in front of the White House, which I can see from my office,” said Hester, a Richland native who practiced in Atlanta before going to King & Spalding’s D.C. office two decades ago. “We’re certainly right in the middle of all of the exciting activity.”

More important, when the last piece of inaugural confetti is swept up, Hester’s 20-member stable of lobbyists and public policy wonks is likely to be in an enviable position as the nation’s capitol undergoes formative and historic political change. Nowhere is that change likely to be more evident than K Street, the heart of lobbying and influence-peddling in Washington.

While many of Washington’s Republican-focused lobbying boutiques benefited from eight years of Republican rule, Democratic lobbyists were politically akin to a Pepsi salesman in Atlanta. Now the tide has turned and several Atlanta-based firms are poised to benefit. “The stock of Democratic lobbyists has soared with Obama’s election and the increased majority of Democrats in Congress,” said Massie Ritsch of the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington, D.C.-based nonpartisan group that tracks lobbying and money’s influence on public policy. “They’re (lobbyist firms) trying to bring more Democrats into their practices and elevate Democrats to management positions.”

Atlanta law firms with a strong D.C. lobbying presence such as King & Spalding, Troutman Sanders and McKenna Long & Aldridge may have a decided advantage over D.C. boutiques that tugged solely on the ear of Republican kingmakers.

“Obviously, with the change in administration, firms that are totally one-sided are having to make some adjustments right now,” Hester said. “We don’t face that. We have the same people. We don’t need to hire Democrats to help us. We have a balanced operation. The Atlanta firms, to the extent I’m familiar with them, have all been pretty careful in keeping themselves balanced.”

With about 15,000 registered lobbyists, Washington is crawling with influence peddlers who have made their mark in one political camp. But Atlanta firms say they have tried to strike a balance. Consider McKenna Long & Aldridge. The firm has strong Republican ties in Georgia and Washington.

Eric Tanenblatt, a former chief of staff to Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue, was at two White House events recently saying farewell to the Bush administration. Tanenblatt brushed elbows with many of Washington’s Republican power brokers over the years. Come Tuesday, some of McKenna’s Democratic operatives will pick up where Tanenblatt leaves off. Tanenblatt isn’t planning to attend President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration, but someone from McKenna’s 50-person government team will be making the rounds to ensure the firm’s presence at the inauguration on Tuesday.

That could include Gordon Giffin, McKenna’s chair of public policy and international department, who spent four years as the ambassador to Canada under President Bill Clinton after chairing Clinton’s fund-raising in the Southeast. In the 1970s, he was chief counsel to Sam Nunn, the former Democratic senator from Georgia.

“As governments change, certain flavors become more popular,” said Giffin. “I guess I have to say the Democratic flavor, in a national sense, may be a little bit more current.”

He’s already had several conversations with Hillary Clinton, who Obama tapped for secretary of state. Clinton was scheduled to be in Atlanta on Saturday for the Salute to Greatness gala.

Giffin said he’s also helping with Obama’s first trip, which will be to Canada. “I was involved in the discussions to arrange that,” said Giffin. He said he hasn’t spent much time in Washington over the last eight years, but will be there Tuesday watching the inauguration from the Canadian embassy.

“I don’t intend to go back and work in the government myself, but I’ll be as helpful as a private sector volunteer as I can be,” he said. Another lawyer who could get a warm welcome in the Obama White House —- though he’s clear to note he’s not a lobbyist —- is state Sen. David Adelman. The partner at Sutherland co-chaired Obama’s campaign in Georgia and recently helped raise more than $100,000 for the inauguration.

“I have every confidence the interests of Georgia will be important to the Obama administration,” Adelman said. And as for the inauguration? “I wouldn’t miss it,” he said.

Beyond the goodwill Tuesday’s inaugural gaieties impart, Tanenblatt says what’s most important in his government practice is the proven ability to get something done inside government.

Knowledge and strategy, he said, cross party lines. His firm recently rehired Atlanta pollster and former Republican legislator Matt Towery. “His skill set is relevant no matter what party is in power,” McKenna chairman Jeff Haidet said.

“Depending on who has political power, that determines who is the visible person on the front lines,” explained Tanenblatt. “But the strategist behind the scenes doesn’t matter.”

Still, familiar names and faces mean a lot on both sides of the aisle. McKenna operatives likely to get a warmer reception in a Democratic-led Washington are: former Georgia Democratic congressman Buddy Darden, lawyer Keith Mason, who served as deputy director for intergovernmental affairs in the Clinton White House (and is the son of Gwinnett developer Wayne Mason), and Maryscott “Scotty” Greenwood, former director of intergovernmental affairs for the city of Atlanta from 1993 to 1997. Not to be outdone, Troutman Sanders has its own group with deep ties on both sides.

“We’re well-positioned with the assets we have and relationships we have to ensure our services aren’t disrupted,” said managing principal Rob Leebern who oversees the Washington operations of Troutman’s strategies practice.

Two of those key “assets” are John Freshman and Ben Noble. Freshman worked in The White House and the Environmental Protection Agency under President Jimmy Carter. Noble worked for the Senate appropriations committee under Arkansas senators Dale Bumpers and Blanche Lincoln. “Both have strong contacts with Democratic leadership in the House and Senate,” Leebern said.

Troutman has made the rounds in Washington on behalf of clients Southern Company, the city of Atlanta, sporting goods maker Mizuno, Georgia Southern and Anheuser-Busch Cos. The firm also does a lot of work in agriculture and agribusiness, representing the National Cotton Council.

Like the other firms, Troutman has “always had a bipartisan approach to providing services to our client. We have folks that can work with people on both sides of the aisle,” Leebern said.

“Your success as a lobbyist depends on access to decision makers,” said Ritsch of the Center for Responsive Politics. Still, folks like Tanenblatt won’t be sidelined.

Republicans still rule the roost in Georgia and other states. And, Tanenblatt points out, Democrats failed to get a filibuster-proof majority in the U.S. Senate. So there will still be a need to reach out to Republicans.

KING & SPALDING George Crawford: former chief of staff for Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Lloyd Hand: known as the “dean of Washington lobbyists” and former U.S. chief of protocol to President Lyndon Johnson Erica Long: worked for Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Tom Spulak: former general counsel to the House of Representatives under Speaker Tom Foley McKENNA LONG & ALDRIDGE Gordon Giffin: former ambassador to Canada under President Bill Clinton Buddy Darden: former Democratic congressman from Georgia Keith Mason: former deputy director for intergovernmental affairs in the Clinton White House Maryscott “Scotty” Greenwood: former director of intergovernmental affairs for the city of Atlanta TROUTMAN SANDERS John Freshman: worked in the White House and Environmental Protection Agency under President Jimmy Carter Ben Noble: worked for Arkansas senators Dale Bumpers and Blanche Lincoln.