Former GOP chairman joins K Street

The former chairman of the powerful tax panel, ex-Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), is the latest to join K Street.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) announced on Thursday that Camp would become a senior policy advisor within the firm’s Washington national tax services practice. He retired at the end of the last congressional session, after serving 12 terms.

Before his departure, however, Camp released draft legislation that would overhaul the nation’s tax system. It is now expected to be the starting point for major reforms going forward.

Mark Mendola, the vice-chairman and tax leader of PwC US, said in a statement that the firm’s clients are already looking forward to Camp’s counsel and “seeking his assistance in effecting change.”

{mosads}“Dave’s willingness to take on the herculean task of developing the most comprehensive tax reform proposal since the mid-1980s is testament to his ability to do what others considered impossible,” he said. “Chairman Camp’s bill will serve as the foundation for the tax reform discussion that lies ahead of us. His impact on tax policy has been enormous.” 

In addition to serving on the House Ways and Means Committee, where he was an influential voice on trade, taxes and healthcare, Camp also worked on the Joint Committee on Taxation — including serving stints as chairman and vice chairman.

The multinational professional services firm that specializes in taxes, accounting and auditing has an in-house lobbying team to advocate on its behalf. It also has high-profile lobbying clients, including the Business Roundtable, Financial Executives International, and the Alliance for Competitive Taxation — a client that paid the firm nearly $1.7 million alone to lobby on its behalf last year.

Camp must take a one-year “cooling off” period before he is allowed to directly lobby his colleagues, however. It’s not clear whether or not he will go the advocacy route.

“In his role at PwC, Mr. Camp will provide his perspective to PwC clients on important federal policy issues, including tax reform, the economy and the impact of proposed policy changes on businesses,” the firm said in a release. “He will help PwC clients navigate the dynamic legislative and regulatory process to develop successful strategies and advance policies meant to improve economic growth and competition in global markets.”

He is one of many ex-members to recently join lobbying firms, including former Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska) and former Reps. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), Jim Moran (D-Va.) and Jim Matheson (D-Utah), among others.

“Dave Camp is a luminary in his field, and we are honored that he has chosen to join PwC,” said Bob Moritz, chairman and senior partner of PwC US.