Bottom Line: Liberty University lobbies up to reinstate suspended flight program

Higher Education

Liberty University hired Two Branch Strategies to lobby on issues related to veteran affairs and its recently suspended flight program. The evangelical Christian university in Lynchburg, Va., had its flight program suspended over the summer. Liberty hired the firm in November to connect staff to members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity and discuss reinstating the program, according to the new registration. 

The lobbyist on the account is Ray Kelley, a former senior adviser and liaison for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and majority staff director for the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Williams and Jensen also registered to lobby on compliance and support for higher education on behalf of Liberty University. Susan Hirschmann, chief of staff to the House majority whip between 1997 and 2002, will work on the account.

Finance

The cryptocurrency platform Coinbase hired theGROUP DC to lobby on digital asset regulation. The new hire adds to Coinbase’s already sprawling lobbying operation: The platform poured nearly $2.2 million into federal lobbying in the first nine months of 2023, according to OpenSecrets data. One of the lobbyists on the account is Joseph Kwabena Nsiah, whose resume includes stints as chief of staff to former Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), policy director for the Congressional Black Caucus and policy adviser to the House Democratic Caucus.

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) hired Franklin Advisors to lobby on issues related to a Department of Labor fiduciary rule, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and diversity, equity and inclusion. The lobbyist on the account is Joseph Vaughan, who worked as managing director at SIFMA and on the House Financial Services Committee as senior diversity and inclusion policy adviser to committee member and then-Chair Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio).

Horses

The ​National Thoroughbred Racing Association hired Venture Government Strategies, formerly Hobart Hallaway & Quayle Ventures, to lobby on tax extenders relating to the “depreciation of thoroughbred horses.” Former Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.) will work on the account.

Cigars

The ​Cigar Association of America hired West Front Strategies to monitor Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation and lobby on issues related to the cigar industry. Malloy McDaniel, former policy adviser and whip liaison to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), will work on the account.