NRCC to attack Hochul on Corzine case - Roemer lands at APCO -Veteran K Streeters pony up for Heller - Dropping it like it's hot - Bill Owens makes amends - New contest! Get your submissions in today Presented by Philip Morris International

PI SCOOPLET … NRCC TO ATTACK HOCHUL ON CORZINE CASH: The National Republican Campaign Committee plans to ding recently elected Rep. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) this afternoon. She took a $2,500 donation from embattled ex-New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine back in May, federal records confirm, and the NRCC plans to tell her to put that cash into a fund that’s shoring up victims of the MF Global scandal.

Corzine is testifying today before the House Agriculture Committee (see here: http://politi.co/vEHjz6 ) about how hundreds of millions of dollars went missing from customers of MF Global, of which he is the former chief executive.


“Since Kathy Hochul took Jon Corzine’s money, she should return it to the victims’ compensation fund to help ease the burden on American farmers and small businesses who are getting shortchanged by Corzine’s risky Enron-style bets,” the NRCC will say in a statement. PI checked with Hochul’s press office, which said it would ask campaign officials about the donation — no response yet. Hochul won a special election victory over Republican Jane Corwin to fill Rep. Chris Lee (R-N.Y.) seat. Lee resigned in February following an online sex scandal.

UPDATE (4:18 p.m.): Hochul’s spokesman, Fabien Levy, tells PI that the congresswoman will divest of the Corzine donation “to avoid further distraction” and that she’s “donated the contribution to the Daemen College Center for Veteran and Veteran Family Services” in Amherst, N.Y. Levy also had some strong words for the NRCC: “Congresswoman Hochul was elected to address the pressing issues facing Western New York families. This partisan attack is an attempt to distract attention from the work at hand, and an example of the type of Washington politics that continue to frustrate Americans.”

Speaking of the NRCC … PI got a sneak peek in who NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions of Texas and Deputy Chairman Greg Walden of Oregon have selected to chair the 2012 March dinner. Reps. Candice Miller of Michigan, Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania and John Sullivan of Oklahoma are chairing the March 20 event at the National Building Museum. The dinner is the biggest fundraiser for the NRCC. Last year it raised more than $10 million. Keynote speaker is still TBD.

ROEMER LANDS AT APCO: Former Indiana Rep. Tim Roemer is joining APCO Worldwide as senior vice president and senior counselor. The former ambassador to India will also serve on APCO's Global Political Strategies and International Advisory Council groups.

APCO CEO Margery Kraus said of the hire: “Tim brings a strong background in international trade and investment, education policy and national security. ... We know he'll be an integral resource to clients who are looking to create partnerships and business opportunities across growing markets throughout the world."

Roemer told PI that he won't lobby. He'll focus on using the contacts he made in the private sector on business boards. His emphasis will be on Asia and India. "I'll be focusing on international business opportunities for companies, helping them with market-entry strategies, launching products, public affairs and public relations with other countries."

VETERAN K STREETERS PONY UP FOR HELLER: Some big names are going to bat for freshman Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) in the fundraising game, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), NRSC Chairman John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) for a fundraiser from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 14 at NRSC headquarters. The all-star lineup is bringing out veteran GOP lobbyists as hosts and sponsors. Co-hosts include: Doyce Boesch, Rob Chamberlin of McBee Strategic Consulting, Bruce Gates of Altria, Steve Hart of Williams & Jensen, Richard Hunt of the Consumer Bankers Association, Dan Meyer of Duberstein Group and Jeff MacKinnon of Ryan, MacKinnon, Vasapoli and Berzok. Sponsors include: David Hobbs of the Hobbs Group, Kathryn Lehman of Holland & Knight, Ginger Loper of Loper Consulting, Jay Perron of IFA, Manny Rossman of the Breaux Lott Leadership Group and Kyle Simmons of the First Group. Cost: $5,000 to host; $2,500 to sponsor; and $1,000 per PAC or $500 personal contribution to attend.

DROPPING IT LIKE IT'S HOT: RIAA's annual fest was the hot ticket Wednesday night on the holiday circuit with congressional aides and K Streeters getting down with Snoop Dogg. Spotted: Jesse Price of Eli Lilly; Matt Gelman and Fred Humphries of Microsoft; Jennifer Dunn of Cisco; Joyce Brayboy of Goldman Sachs; and Amanda Swenson of Pfizer were all at the 930 Club for the concert. Doug Thornell of SDKnickerbocker; Rebecca Spicer and Mike Johnson of NBWA; Jay Driscoll of Cauthen, Forbes & Williams; Chris Gindlesperger of the American Beverage Association; and Robert Fisher of Verizon.

For those that didn't make it — one PI tipster got to see more than just the show, making it backstage. He sends this dispatch: "It was like I was transported into a music video. There were about 30 people crammed into his dressing room. Drinks were flowing. There was this huge cake in his image. His band and dancers were there. Music was blaring. … Definitely clearing my schedule today."

GOOD THURSDAY AFTERNOON! Where the rain has stopped, the Occupy movement is no longer swarming K Street and PI thinks it’s a safe bet that everyone's commute home tonight is going to be much better than last night's (no Obama fundraiser at the Jefferson clogging up traffic either). Before you head for the exits, send us a tip, gossip and all the latest news in hiring and firings at [email protected] and [email protected]. If you don't already, follow us on Twitter at @ davelevinthal and @ apalmerdc.

NEW CONTEST! GET YOUR SUBMISSION IN TODAY: A reminder that in spirit of the upcoming holidays, PI is back today with a NEW CONTEST in which we ponder: What if lobbyists weren’t handcuffed by laws prohibiting them from giving gifts to lawmakers? K Street players big and small would be liberated in spreading Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa spirit — bottles of whiskey! fancy jewelry! — among White House staffers, congressional officials and anyone in a position of public power.

Our challenge to you: Tell us what gift a certain lobbying force — it might be a corporation, union, special interest or individual — should give a certain government official this holiday season and why. The most creative, perceptive and laugh-out-loud hilarious submissions will be featured in Friday’s edition of PI, with one grand prize winner getting an awesome gift of his or her own: a “World’s Best Lobbyist” tree ornament (see here: http://bit.ly/v94djD ). Send your entry, complete with your name and city, to [email protected] and [email protected] and be sure to submit it by 10 a.m. Friday. Good luck, and happy holidays from PI!

BILL OWENS MAKES AMENDS: Having discovered “some mistakes” in its 2009 and 2010 campaign finance reports, the campaign committee for Rep. Bill Owens (D-N.Y.) “undertook a complete review” of its filings and made numerous amendments to them, campaign Treasurer Theodore Kowalczyk wrote the FEC on Wednesday. “The review revealed that a number of transactions were reported with incorrect dates,” Kowalczyk wrote. “When the dates for these transactions were corrected some transactions were shifted into a different reporting period, thus changing the totals on a number of reports. In addition, some transactions had duplicate entries, some transactions were missing from the original reports and a few transactions were reported with inaccurate amounts.”

NEW PRO-CIGAR SUPER PAC — EVEN MORE FIRE: As PI reported Wednesday, premium cigar lovers have formed a super PAC dedicated to making independent expenditures in support of candidates who fight against regulations on cigars — and potentially ding those who don’t. Dave Mason, a former FEC chairman who serves as the group’s treasurer, tells PI this morning that PURO PAC also intends to simultaneously operate a traditional political action committee, which may make donations of up to $5,000 per election directly to political candidates. Such a super PAC/traditional PAC arrangement — call it a hybrid PAC — is legal following a federal court ruling this year in Carey v. Federal Election Commission.

BIG LIBERAL MONEY MAY SKIP MODERATES: The Senate Democratic majority may hinge on the reelection of vulnerable moderates like Ben Nelson, Claire McCaskill and Jon Tester, but deep-pocketed liberal groups say they won’t go to the mat for them in 2012. Read our own Robin Bravender’s full report here: http://politi.co/v6QjG9

BIG AD BUY FOR CROSSROADS GPS: POLITICO’s James Hohmann has the scoop on a new $1.1 million-plus ad buy by conservative nonprofit group Crossroads GPS, which targets several Democratic candidates in four states. Details in today’s Morning Score: http://politi.co/vhs5YM

IF A MEMBER GOES UNDERCOVER: Dina Dwyer-Owens, chairwoman and CEO of the Dwyer Group, is slated to appear on CBS's "Undercover Boss." Dwyer owns several home improvement and repair brands including Aire Serv, Glass Doctor, Mr. Appliance, Mr. Electric, Mr. Rooter, Rainbow International and The Grounds Guys.

The past chairwoman of the IFA board is not the first IFA member to be spotlighted on the program. Four other IFA members have been on the show before including Subway, Choice Hotels, BrightStar Care and 7-Eleven.

THURSDAY’S TWITTERVERSE:

@OccupyKSt "Get up! Get down! There's revolution in this town!"

@annafifield More police than protesters at #occupykstreet. Still, a big turn-out on a very rainy day

@SEIU No lobbyists were arrested today, just unemployed workers. More from today's K St actions: http://seiu.me/99day3

@BlackBinnDC #occupykstreet getting you down? Want to take a break from protesting? Either way, we've got ribs on special! Something we can all agree on!

@hillballotbox Abramoff says Gingrich was lobbying on behalf of consulting clients http://bit.ly/sQ9wB3

@SunFoundation Who visited Jack Abramoff in Cumberland prison? We've FOIAed to find out http://snlg.ht/vmQOhU

@G eorgeHolman: Nice tribute to Gabby Giffords at the RIAA holiday party

@JohnFeehery For me, the low point of @MittRomney's campaign was when he said he tried beer once and didn’t like the taste

NEW POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES: None.

NEW REGISTRATIONS: (Firm: Client)

Dudinsky, Lisker & Associates: Billings Flying Service

The Summerill Law Firm: Monroe County, FL; Wakulla County, FL; Baker County, FL; Glades County, FL

Twenty-First Century Group, Inc.: In Situ Oil Sands Alliance

Twenty-First Century Group, Inc.: Infrastructure Networks

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CORRECTION: An earlier version of POLITICO Influence misidentified one of the co-chairs of the March 2012 NRCC dinner. Michigan Rep. Candice Miller, not Illinois Rep. Judy Biggert, will co-chair the event.

Follow us on Twitter Theodoric Meyer @theodoricmeyer