Trump moves on steel, aluminum tariffs despite lobbying efforts Presented by the Consumer Brands Association

With David Beavers, Garrett Ross and Daniel Lippman

TRUMP MOVES ON STEEL, ALUMINUM TARIFFS DESPITE LOBBYING EFFORTS: President Donald Trump’s move today to tax steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico and the European Union — after granting them a temporary reprieve a month ago — is a setback for the lobbyists hired to stop the administration from doing so. As PI has previously reported, companies have rushed to hire lobbyists in recent months to advocate on the steel and aluminum tariffs. Fujifilm Holdings, for instance, hired David Wilkins, a former U.S. ambassador to Canada, and one of his colleagues at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarboroughto lobby on the tariffs. But the administration has proved impervious so far to appeals not to tax imports from American allies.

MASSIE SAYS LOBBYIST OFFERED TO HELP GET HIM ON WAYS AND MEANS: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) claims in a new episode of a documentary series that “a lobbyist in the medical device industry” offered to help him get on the House Ways and Means Committee. “He said, ‘Thomas, you’re different from these other congressmen,'” Massie told “The Swamp,” a documentary series that follows several members of the House Freedom Caucus. “‘My lobbyist friends and I are prepared to raise the amount of money it’s gonna take to get you on the Ways and Means Committee.’ I wanted to run out of there. After his proposal, I was trying to find a shower.” Here’s the clip.

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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.

RUSSIAN BANK INVITED STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TO KENNEDY CENTER GALA: The Center for Public Integrity’s Carrie Levine got her hands on emails between Daniel Fried, the State Department’s sanctions policy coordinator, and Daniel Russell, a former State Department official who leads the U.S.-Russia Business Council. “Clearly your last meeting with Andrey Kostin made an impression!” Russell wrote to Fried in 2016. “Please see attached a special invitation from him” for Fried and a guest to attend a gala at the Kennedy Center sponsored by VTB, a Russian bank under sanction. Kostin is VTB’s chairman. Fried declined the invitation. “I won’t be attending,” he wrote. “We’re not interested in advancing their corporate reputation.” Full story.

PARKLAND PARENTS START SUPER PAC TO TAKE ON NRA: “Parkland parents have created a [super PAC] directed against politicians who are funded by the National Rifle Association,” The Sun Sentinel’s Lisa Huriash reports. “The group, which begins taking donations Wednesday, will use its money to try to oust political candidates who both oppose its efforts to amend the laws that permit semi-automatic rifles, or who receive campaign donations from the NRA — or both. … State records show Families vs Assault Rifles PAC Inc. was registered as a nonprofit on May 18 by Jeff Kasky, the father of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High student activist Cameron Kasky, who is a founder of March for Our Lives.” The group also registered as a super PAC with the FEC. Full story.

IF YOU MISSED IT THIS MORNING: Trump said today he will grant a pardon to Dinesh D’Souza, a conservative political commentator and filmmaker who pleaded guilty to a felony in 2014 over his use of straw donors to make illegal contributions in a 2012 Senate race,” POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein and Cristiano Lima report. “‘Will be giving a Full Pardon to Dinesh D’Souza today. He was treated very unfairly by our government!’ the president tweeted.” Full story.

JOBS REPORT

— Mercury has hired Kirk Wagar, a former U.S. ambassador to Singapore under President Barack Obama, as a co-chairman of the firm. Wagar is also a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council.

— Josh Silberberg has joined FP1 Strategies as a managing director. He previously worked for 30 Point Strategies, where he worked on health care, energy and trade issues and crisis communications.

NEW JOINT FUNDRAISERS:

Feehan Victory Fund (Dan Feehan, Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party)

NEW PACS:

Animal Wellness Action PAC (PAC)

Kentucky Patriot PAC (Super PAC)

Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation Political Action Committee (Nephron PAC) (PAC)

Peoples Fund PAC (Super PAC)

United States Congress Joint Advisory Committee (PAC)

NEW LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS:

American Defense International, Inc.: J.A. Green and Company (for Mark Barnes & Associates)

Cassidy & Associates, Inc. (formerly known as Cassidy & Associates): Center for Carbon Removal

Cassidy & Associates, Inc. (formerly known as Cassidy & Associates): Chambers County Cedar Bayou Navigation District

Cassidy & Associates, Inc. (formerly known as Cassidy & Associates): City of Bullhead City, Arizona

Cassidy & Associates, Inc. (formerly known as Cassidy & Associates): Covestro, LLC

Cassidy & Associates, Inc. (formerly known as Cassidy & Associates): Sunrun, Inc.

Jeffrey J. Kimbell and Associates: Enzyvant Therapeutics GmbH

K&L Gates LLP: PacifiCorp Energy

Steptoe & Johnson LLP: DisposeRx, Inc.

Tarplin, Downs & Young, LLC: American Osteopathic Association

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP: Cayuga Nation of New York

NEW LOBBYING TERMINATIONS:

Alexander, Borovicka & O'Shea Government Solutions (fka Alexander & Borovicka Go: Laufer Wind

Alexander, Borovicka & O'Shea Government Solutions (fka Alexander & Borovicka Go: The National Group for Vigilant Solutions

Cassidy & Associates, Inc. (formerly known as Cassidy & Associates): Open Space Institute Inc.

Cassidy & Associates, Inc. (formerly known as Cassidy & Associates): Pew Charitable Trusts

Grau & Associates, LLC: The Florida Aquarium

Manatt, Phelps, and Phillips: McDonald's Corporation

Matt Hill: Public Timber Purchasers Group

May Group LLC: General Communication Inc

Mercury: Hudson River Health Care

Potomac International Partners, Inc.: Hanwha Q CELLS America Inc.

Regulatory Strategies And Solutions Group, LLC: BP America

Russ Klenet & Associates: City of Parkland

Skladany Consulting LLC: Akin Gump on behalf of DowDupont

Susan J. White & Associates, Inc.: Cook County IL

Susan J. White & Associates, Inc.: National Association Of Government Defined Contribution Administrators

United Concordia Companies, Inc. (dba United Concordia Dental): United Concordia Companies, Inc. (dba United Concordia Dental)

Urban Swirski & Associates, LLC: American Federation for Children

Wanner Associates: Scrubgrass Generation

Watershed Results LLC: Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Assoc

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