Podesta Group

The Podesta Group was established in 1988 and is a Washington based 'full service' bipartisan government relations and public affairs firm

On their website, the Podesta Group advertise their services as including...

Government Relations

• Administration Strategies
• Legislative Strategies
• Issue Management
• Policy Positioning
• Corporate Responsibility Initiatives
• Coalition Building
• Crisis Management
• Opposition Research
• Political Development

Public Affairs

• Message Development
• Branding and Positioning
• Crisis Communications
• Issue Advertising
• Media Relations and Training
• Targeted Survey Research
• Special Events
• Internal and External Communications

People

• Tony Podesta - According to his biography, Podesta's 'long-standing personal ties to Members of Congress and the public interest community distinguish him from competitors'.

• Kimberley Fritts - CEO. Fritts was formerly Southern Political Director for the Republican National Committee, Deputy Campaign Manager for Jeb Bush and Political Director for Senator Connie Mack.

• David H Morrison - Chair of the Podesta Group’s National Security and International Policy Practice. Morrison previously served as the Staff Director/Clerk of the House Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee, was the Democratic staff member on the Appropriations Committee (with responsiblity for developing legislation to fund all U.S. military activities and national foreign and defense intelligence programs), was the principal defense advisor to Defense Subcommittee Chairman Murtha and to Committee Chairman Obey and was a key advisor to Speaker Pelosi on defense and intelligence matters. Morrison also served as budget analyst with the Office of Management and Budget’s National Security Division, was Deputy Associate Director of OMB for National Security, was the chief of the National Security Division and was the President’s senior civil servant advisor on the defense budget.

• Paul A Brathwaite - Brathwaite previously served as Executive Director for the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Employment Standards Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor (during the Clinton Administration) and served the Department of Transportation’s General Counsel’s Honors Program (on Capitol Hill for then-Congressman Tom Carper (D-DE), Congressman Mike Castle (R-DE) and for New York Governor Mario Cuomo). In his biography, Brathwaite is descibed as having 'high-level contacts in both the House and Senate and provides strategic counsel to clients on telecommunications, health care, financial services, and transportation policy matters'.

• Sharon L Cohen - Cohen's biography descibes her as 'one of the most experienced and well-connected health care and biotech lobbyists in Washington'. Cohen previously served as Vice President for Government Relations with the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), was the chief lobbyist for the Health Insurance Association of America, was Director of Congressional Relations for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, worked at the American Council of Life Insurers, served as Deputy Director of Federal Relations for the American Psychiatric Association and as Director of Health Policy for the Alliance for Aging Research. Cohen is described as having 'excellent relationships with House and Senate Leadership offices, Senate Finance and HELP committees, House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce committees as well as with officials at the Food and Drug Administration and in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services'.

• Claudia James - James previously served as Vice President of Government Relations and Associate General Counsel at the American Newspaper Publishers Association and was Legislative Assistant to Chris Dodd. In her biography, James is described as having 'in-depth understanding of Capitol Hill and strong ties to House and Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committee Democrats'.

• Michelle C Tessier - Tessier was previously Press Secretary to House Republican Leader Bob Michel, was Communications Director for Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas and was named one of Washington’s “Fabulous Fifty Staffers” by Roll Call.

• Elizabeth Morra - Morra previously served as the House Appropriations Committee’s first communications director (under former Chairmen Bob Livingston of Louisiana and C W Bill Young of Florida), served as spokeswoman to Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Thad Cochran of Mississippi (during his term as Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference). Prior to her time on Capitol Hill, Morra worked as a broadcast journalist.

• David L Marin - Marin previously served as the Minority Staff Director of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and as chief aide, spokesman, and speechwriter for Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA). Marin's biography describes how he was also previously a journalist who 'has extensive relationships with the national, regional and trade press'.

• Ed Rothschild - Rothschild was previously Executive Director of the American Public Gas Association, Executive Director of Energy Action, Energy Policy Director and Public Affairs Director of Citizen Action and was a 'Capitol Hill staffer'. His biography describes him as having 'extensive media, congressional, and public interest group contacts'.

• John Scofield - Scofield was previously Communications Director for the House Appropriations Committee and served as a speechwriter for Senator Mark Hatfield (R-OR) and as Press Secretary for Representative Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ). His biography describes him as having 'extensive experience in political communications' and 'having close ties to key policymakers'.

• Andrew Kauders - Kauders previously served the Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, was Senior Advisor to Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), was Communications Director and Senior Advisor of the Caucus and was Spokesperson and Deputy Press Secretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (during the Clinton Administration). Kauders was also the Deputy Communications Director for the White House Climate Change Task Force, Deputy Press Secretary and Special Assistant to the Environmetal Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator. Roll Call has nemed him (5 times) as one of the most influential staffers on Capitol Hill in its “Fabulous Fifty” list.

• Walter Owen Pryor - Pryor was previously Legislative Director for Senator Mark Pryor and was Deputy Director and Managing Attorney of the National Association of Attorneys General.

• Randall Gerard - Gerard is also a member of the Finance Committee at the Republican Governors Association and was previously a staff member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee (under Chairman John McCain and later with The EOP Group Inc.).

• Lantie F Slenzak - Slenzak previously served as Legislative Director for Representative Gene Green (to advance Rep. Green’s health care priorities on the House Energy and Commerce Committee), spearheaded the activities of the Congressional Vision Caucus, was Deputy Press Secretary for Senator Ernest Hollings, Legislative Assistant for Representative John Spratt and was a News Researcher and Staff Writer for Congressional Quarterly.

• Donnice M Turner - Turner was previously Legislative Assistant to Senator Richard Durbin, Legislative Director for Representative David Scott and was Senior Staff Counsel/Legislative Assistant for Senator Max Cleland.

• Daniele Baierlein - Baierlein was previously Manager of Candidate Fundraising Services with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, was Finance Director for Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s re-election campaign and leadership Political Action Committee (PAC to the Future), was Deputy Finance Director for Jeanne Shaheen for US Senate, served the Missouri Democratic Party and was Membership Director of the Women’s Leadership Forum at the Democratic National Committee.

• Katie Beck

• Courtney Hagen - Hagan was previously an Account Manager at The Policy Group and a research assistant with The Brookings Institution.

• Shannon Hembree

• Anne Marie Polak - Polak previously worked in the Office of Congressman Mike Ferguson (R-NJ), served as the scheduler for Dick Armey (R-TX), worked in the Administration for Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, served the Office of the United States Trade Representative (under Ambassador Robert Zoellick and worked in the policy department for the 2004 Bush-Cheney campaign.

• Tom Bianchetti
• Stephanie Clifford
• Chad Cunningham
• Elizabeth Fassbender
• Cameron French
• Terri Gbade
• Nick Horowitz
• Amanda Huntley
• Lindsey Lauver
• Benjamin Murray
• Teresa M. Petrovic

Clients

2015

• The Podesta Group was among the Washington-based PR firms listed as 'active foreign principals for Saudi Arabia' in its Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) released in January 2016. Podesta received a retainer of $200,000 from the 'The Center for Studies and Media Affairs at the Saudi Royal Court' for providing 'public relations services'. It is still listed as an 'active foreign agent' on the FARA website, indicating that the contract is ongoing.

2008

In 2008, the Podesta Group list their clients as follows...

Corporations

• AeroAstro Inc.
• Abertis USA
• Alcatel-Lucent
• Altair Nanotechnologies Inc.
• Amgen
• Amylin
• Boeing
• BP
• Career Education Corporation
• Cherokee Nation
• Children's National Medical Center
• Cintas
• Corrections Corporation of America
• Covidien
• Cubist Pharmaceuticals
• DaVita Inc.
• Dosal Tobacco Company
• EcoSMART Technologies
• EMD Serono Inc.
• Genentech
• General Dynamics
• Genzyme
• Google
• Heineken USA
• IDC of Kentucky Inc.
• Lockheed Martin Corporation
• Miles Automotive Group
• Millennium Pharmaceuticals
• National Tobacco
• NetJets
• Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics
• Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Inc.
• Reed Elsevier
• S&M Brands Inc.
• SAP America
• Sunoco
• Textron
• TJX Companies Inc.
• Tyco Electronics
• Tyco International
• Wal-Mart
• Warburg Pincus
• Washington Post Company
• Xcaliber International Ltd

Associations and Nonprofit Organizations

• American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators
• Arizona State University
• Career College Association
• Center for Responsible Lending
• Chocolate Manufacturers Association
• Forsyth Institute
• Independent Film and Television Alliance
• Information Technology Association of America
• Internet2
• Investment Company Institute
• Knox College
• Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
• Lesley University
• National Association of Broadcasters
• National Confectioners Association
• National Public Radio
• Newspaper Association of America
• Ounce of Prevention Fund
• Professional Services Council
• Renewable Fuels Association

Coalitions

• Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care
• FM Policy Focus
• Sunshine in Government Initiative
• TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board

Governments

• Arab Republic of Egypt
• City of Berkeley California
• Orange County Florida
• Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District
• Saudi Arabia

Other

• Pfizer is reported to have hired the Podesta Group in 2007