May '11 PR Rankings Issue - Odwyerpr.com
May '11 PR Rankings Issue - Odwyerpr.com
May '11 PR Rankings Issue - Odwyerpr.com
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WASHINGTON REPORT<br />
Harbour works anti-Gadaffi beat<br />
The Harbour Group is working for the Libyan Transitional<br />
National Council to achieve official U.S. recognition and<br />
control of the assets of Col. Gadaffi's government that<br />
are frozen in American financial institutions, according to the<br />
agreement between the two parties.<br />
The Council wants to form national political and civic institutions<br />
that would lead to free and fair elections. It supports the<br />
“inalienable rights” of people to free expression and rejects<br />
“racism, intolerance, discrimination and terrorism.”<br />
THG will push for U.S. humanitarian assistance to Libya and<br />
other goals of the Council via preparation of speeches, social<br />
media platforms, outreach to think tanks and conferences.<br />
The firm is working on a pro-bono basis.<br />
THG also represents the United Arab Emirates and its U.S-<br />
Emirates Alliance, work that is pegged in the $2 million a-year<br />
range. <br />
Congres pushes to get Fed<br />
publc documents online<br />
Congressman Steve Israel has re-introduced the Public<br />
Online Information Act to require executive branch<br />
agencies to post public documents online and make them<br />
readily searchable.<br />
Noting that 78 percent of American adults access the ’Net for<br />
news and research, the New York Democrat believes the federal<br />
government has to play “catch-up” and make its information<br />
via available via <strong>com</strong>puter and other devices.<br />
A POIA law would establish an advisory <strong>com</strong>mittee to hammer<br />
out government-wide publication policies and guidelines.<br />
The Office of Management and Budget’s e-government administrator<br />
and chief information officers at various agencies<br />
would hammer out disclosure rules.<br />
Information that is exempt from Freedom of Information Act<br />
requests, such as topics concerning national security, personal<br />
privacy and trade secrets, also avoids POIA disclosure requirements.<br />
Disclosure be<strong>com</strong>es mandatory three years after the<br />
date that the bill be<strong>com</strong>es law.<br />
Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) has introduced a <strong>com</strong>panion<br />
bill. <br />
Homeland security chief to exit<br />
Sean Smith, who heads public affairs for the U.S. Dept. of<br />
Homeland Security, left the agency in late April, according<br />
to multiple reports.<br />
Smith was Sen. Joe Lieberman’s 2006 Campaign Manager and<br />
Spokesman through his primary loss to Ned Lamont and worked<br />
<strong>com</strong>munications for the Obama-Biden presidential bid in<br />
Pennsylvania in 2008.<br />
He led public affiars, internal <strong>com</strong>munications, media relations<br />
and <strong>com</strong>ms. issues for the DHS.<br />
Politico reported April 21 that Smith is returning home to New<br />
Haven, Conn., to likely teach or take an agency job in New York.<br />
Fox News Channel on April 20 reported that Smith was the<br />
subject of an internal <strong>com</strong>plaint from 2009 at DHS after allegedly<br />
sending a threatening email to the DHS’ immigration press<br />
unit over a suspected leak. The <strong>com</strong>plaint was later dismissed. <br />
56<br />
MAY 2011 WWW.ODWYER<strong>PR</strong>.COM<br />
Bush’s top lobbyist to join Citi<br />
Candida “Candi” Wolff joined Citigroup <strong>May</strong> 2 as Executive<br />
VP for Global Government Affairs. She will report to Ed<br />
Skyler, Executive VP for Public Affairs.<br />
Wolff was President George W. Bush’s<br />
top lobbyist from 2005-07, responsible for<br />
economic, international and national security<br />
issues. She assumes Citi duties of Nick<br />
Calio, who also was Bush’s top lobbyist.<br />
He exited last year to helm the Air<br />
Transport Association.<br />
Earlier in her career, Wolff held posts on<br />
Capitol Hill including Deputy Staff<br />
Director to the Senate Republican Policy<br />
Committee, counsel to the Senate Steering<br />
Committee and counsel to<br />
former Wyoming Senator Malcolm Wallop.<br />
Most recently, she was a Partner at D.C. law firm Hogan Lovells,<br />
which represents Japan and Saudi Arabia.<br />
Citi CEO Vik Pandit praised Wolff as a “superb advocate who<br />
acts with integrity and offers sound counsel.” She will oversee the<br />
big bank’s relationships with governments in more than 100 countries.<br />
<br />
GMA pro joins APCO<br />
APCO Worldwide has recruited Melissa Musiker, former<br />
director of science policy at the Grocery Manufacturers<br />
Association, to bolster its food and nutrition expertise.<br />
The practicing dietitian was GMA’s<br />
spokesperson on regulatory and legislative<br />
matters concerning consumer packaged<br />
goods and counseled on issues such as<br />
labeling, salt reduction, obesity and marketing<br />
to children.<br />
Earlier, Muskier was an economist at the<br />
Dept. of Agriculture’s economic research<br />
arm, working on the national school lunch<br />
and breakfast program. She also was a<br />
pediatric dietitian at Children’s National<br />
Medical Center, where her practice areas<br />
Wolff<br />
Musiker<br />
were adolescent medicine and HIV/AIDS medical nutrition therapy<br />
and support.<br />
At APCO, Musiker is to advise clients on pre-launch mitigation<br />
strategies and post-launch issues management.