Trump wonders why Podesta hasn’t been arrested Presented by the Consumer Brands Association

With help from David Beavers, Garrett Ross and Daniel Lippman

TRUMP WONDERS WHY PODESTA HASN’T BEEN ARRESTED: President Donald Trump attacked Tony Podesta on Sunday morning in the strongest terms to date, wondering on Twitter why Podesta hasn’t faced charges for the Podesta Group’s lobbying work with Paul Manafort and Rick Gates. Why “hasn’t the Podesta brother been charged and arrested, like others, after being forced to close down his very large and successful firm?” Trump tweeted. “Is it because he is a VERY well connected Democrat working in the Swamp of Washington, D.C.?” (The Podesta Group was identified as “Company B” in special counsel Robert Mueller’s indictment of Manafort and Gates on charges of breaking foreign lobbying law, but the firm hasn’t faced charges itself.)

— It’s not the first time Trump’s gone after Podesta on Twitter. But he has never tweeted about Mercury, another Washington lobbying firm that worked with Manafort and was identified as “Company A” in the indictment, or Vin Weber, the Mercury partner and former Republican congressman who headed up much of the work. “It’s so clear from these tweets what a partisan hit job this is and has been,” a source close to Podesta told PI. “Any time Don Jr. gets in trouble either Trump or Fox News attacks Tony Podesta.” The New York Times reported on Saturday that a meeting Donald Trump Jr. held three months before the 2016 election has become a focus of Mueller’s investigation. The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Good afternoon, and welcome to PI. Your tips keep us going. Don’t be shy: [email protected] and [email protected]. You can also follow us on Twitter: @theodoricmeyer and @marianne_levine.

BOLTON RELIED ON FORMER LOBBYIST AS HE STAFFED UP THE NSC: “As he prepared to start his job as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton relied on the advice of a longtime colleague — Matthew Freedman, a consultant and former lobbyist with decades of experience in foreign policy,” POLITICO’s Marianne LeVine reports. “But while Freedman may have been a trusted hand, he also came on with a checkered past, having worked for now-indicted former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and, more recently, getting fired from the Trump transition team for reportedly using his global consulting firm email for transition work. Still, Bolton leaned on Freedman earlier this year, and multiple people familiar with the matter said Freedman played a central role meeting with potential job applicants for the National Security Council before Bolton officially started.

— “A source familiar with the situation denied that Freedman played any formal role and described his meetings with job candidates as closer to ‘listening sessions’ than interviews. Robert Palladino, a spokesperson for the NSC, confirmed that Freedman and Charles Kupperman, another Bolton friend who has joined him at the NSC, helped him weigh job applicants after H.R. McMaster was ousted following repeated policy clashes with Trump and other aides. ‘Ambassador Bolton received over 500 résumés from applicants seeking to join his team on the National Security Council,’ Palladino said. ‘Consulting with trusted colleagues, such as Mr. Freedman and Dr. Kupperman, not only makes practical sense, it also makes strategic sense.’” Full story.

SPEAKING OF BOLTON: The New York Times’ Kenneth P. Vogel has more details about Bolton’s “shadow NSC.” Kupperman “has taken a temporary leadership post on the N.S.C., while at least three others — Frederick H. Fleitz, Sarah Tinsley and David Wurmser — are believed to be under consideration for posts. Mr. Bolton's relationships with most of the associates date back decades, to his days working in foreign policy-related positions in the Reagan administration. But he continued working with them in the dozen years since he has been out of government, serving as an adviser to Mr. Wurmser’s company, according to its website, while relying on Mr. Kupperman, Ms. Tinsley and several other associates to help run a constellation of conservative political organizations.” Full story.

A message from the Consumer Brands Association: America’s recycling system just got an abysmal review – at a time when we need it most. Only 11% of respondents of our latest poll said the recycling system is doing its best. With more plastic waste in the wake of COVID-19, it’s time to fix this mounting problem.

AKIN GUMP ADDS FOURTH MAJOR HIRE THIS YEAR: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld announced its fourth major hire this year — Brendan Dunn, who was previously policy adviser and counsel to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. (Read a Q&A with Dunn here from POLITICO’s Bernie Becker.) Dunn will become a partner in Akin Gump’s public law and policy practice. Last week, the firm announced the hiring of Zachary Rudisill, former tax counsel to Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and earlier this month the firm announced the hiring of Christina Carrica Haley, who was chief executive of the political consulting firm Connectiva and national Latino finance director for the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign. In February, Akin Gump announced the hiring of Denise Desiderio, a former policy director at the National Congress of American Indians.

—In an interview with PI, Hunter Bates, co-head of Akin Gump’s public law and policy practice said that he and his colleague Brian Pomper were charged with building “the next generation of Akin Gump’s lobbying practice” and that “the hires we have made this year are a part of fulfilling that mandate.” He added that the firm will continue to recruit for “top talent on both sides of the aisle, both sides of the Capitol and within the administration.” Asked whether the upcoming midterms would have an impact on hiring, Bates said the firm doesn’t hire “based on the results of the last election or predictions on the next election.” Instead, he said Akin Gump “seeks to build a team that will be strong regardless of who wins the next election.”

TARIFFS, TARIFFS, AND MORE TARIFFS: The Trump administration’s current and threatened tariffs continue to drive business for lobbyists. Here’s a summary of registrations we’ve noticed recently: Smalley Steel Ring Company hired DLA Piper LLP to lobby on “steel tariff issues”; American Posts, a manufacturer of steel u-posts, hired O’Brien, Gentry & Scott to lobby on steel tariffs; Tormach Inc., which produces computer-controlled machine tools, and Apex Tool Group hired Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A. to lobby on retaliatory tariffs against China.

IN OTHER NOTABLE REGISTRATION NEWS: Ballard Partners registered two more clients, including defense contractor Leonardo DRS, Inc., for which it will lobby on military procurement. Invesco Holding Company registered to lobby recently. According to the investment management company’s filing, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association alums Andy Blocker and Jennifer Flitton will lobby on “capital markets, exchange traded funds, mutual fund issues, retirement issues, tax issues, and money market issues.” Invesco previously had Capitol Tax Partners on retainer.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LATEST ROUND OF FEC FILINGS: The Center for Public Integrity’s Ashley Balcerzak, Lateshia Beachum and Sarah Kleiner are out with some highlights from the latest round of Federal Election Commission filings. Among them: as of April 30, the John Bolton Super PAC had $2.75 million in cash on hand. The super PAC said in March that it would suspend its political activity. Full story.

RNC PAID NEARLY HALF A MILLION TO LAW FIRM THAT REPRESENTS HOPE HICKS: “The Republican National Committee paid nearly half a million dollars to a law firm that represents former White House communications director Hope Hicks and others in the Russia investigations, according to a new federal filing,” The Washington Post’s Michelle Ye Hee Lee and Anu Narayanswamy report. “The RNC's $451,780 payment to Trout Cacheris & Janis adds to the mounting legal fees associated with the investigations by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and several congressional committees of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign. Hicks hired Robert Trout, founder of the law firm, as her personal attorney in September, according to news reports. The report of the payments for legal and compliance services, contained in the Federal Election Commission report filed Sunday, is the first public disclosure of RNC payments to the law firm since Hicks hired Trout.” Full story.

CORRECTION: Friday’s edition of PI incorrectly stated which firm led ACLI's search for a new CEO. It was Heidrick & Struggles.

NEW JOINT FUNDRAISERS:

None

NEW PACs:

Blueshift Media (super PAC)

Clean Up Congress PAC (super PAC)

Democracy First (super PAC)

Families Vs Assault Rifles PAC (super PAC)

Korean Americans For Organizing PAC (PAC)

Super Senior PAC LLC (super PAC)

bucksPAC (super PAC)

NEW LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS:

Ballard Partners: Leonardo DRS, Inc.

Ballard Partners: Public Health Trust of Miami-Dade County (on behalf of Jackson Health Systems)

Banner Public Affairs, LLC: Ross & Baruzzini Inc.

DLA Piper LLP (US): Hanesbrands, Inc.

DLA Piper LLP (US): Smalley Steel Ring Company

Downs Government Affairs: Emsi

Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, P.C.: ABM Healthcare

Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, P.C.: Aramark Healthcare Technologies, LLC

Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, P.C.: Crothall Healthcare

Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, P.C.: Sodexo Clinical Technology Management

Invesco Holding Company (US), Inc: Invesco Holding Company (US), Inc

J.A. Green and Company (formerly LLC): Mark Barnes & Assoc. on behalf of Dillon Aero, Gen Dynamics, Orbital ATK, OH Ord

Lincoln Park Group L.L.C.: PD Frazer Consulting, Inc. on behalf of Canada International Pharmacy Assoc.

Nossaman LLP (Formerly Nossaman LLP/O'Connor & Hannan): Fair Fara Coalition

Sidley Austin LLP: Alberta Investment Management Corporation

Stockton Global Strategies, LLC: Water Strategies LLC

NEW LOBBYING TERMINATIONS:

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP: Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC

Follow us on Twitter Theodoric Meyer @theodoricmeyer