Showing posts with label Steve Jobs lobbying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steve Jobs lobbying. Show all posts
Thursday, January 7, 2010
State Department Official Lobbied by Former Employer
Robin Raphel, the State Department's nonmilitary aid coordinator for Pakistan and a former lobbyist for Pakistan, attended meetings to help that country craft lobbying strategy until shortly before her new position was announced last summer. Now, new lobbying disclosure reports show her former firm contacted her regarding Pakistan within a month after the announcement.
A filing submitted to the Justice Department this month by lobbying firm Cassidy & Associates reports that the firm, which has a $700,000-a-year contract to represent Pakistan, e-mailed Raphel on Sept. 2 regarding "ROZ legislation" - economic development legislation giving the president authority to establish “Reconstruction Opportunity Zones” (ROZs) in Pakistan’s frontier area with Afghanistan.
The filing also shows two more e-mails from Cassidy to Raphel in September regarding a Senate bill known as the Kerry-Lugar bill, which increased nonmilitary aid to Pakistan. The bill was signed into law by President Barack Obama in October.
Tom Alexander, a spokesman for Cassidy & Associates, said in an e-mail to The BLT that the firm had "contacted Ambassador Raphel to discuss the status of" the aid bill and "to seek clarification of statements she had made to the press."
In August, a State Department spokesman said Raphel was a temporary worker who can only work 130 days out of 365 and, because of that, was subject to different conflict-of-interest requirements, though he did not provide specific information about what those requirements were. The State Department has since not answered questions about Raphel's appointment, despite repeated requests.
The Obama administration has been extremely vocal about its conflict-of-interest policies, and repeatedly promised to limit the influence lobbyists have in Washington. Obama signed an executive order shortly after taking office banning federal appointees from participating in matters involving former clients or employers. Read a previous BLT item on this issue here.
Source:legaltimes.typepad.com/
Monday, January 4, 2010
Steelers’ Tomlin not lobbying for help
The Steelers’ Mike Tomlin isn’t about to lobby another coach to play his best players, even if Pittsburgh’s season may be riding on any such decision.
To Tomlin, the Steelers (8-7) put themselves in a position where they need a lot of assistance to make the AFC playoffs, so they shouldn’t go begging for help.
“I could [not] care less how the Bengals approach what it is they do,’’ Tomlin said yesterday.
To make the playoffs, the Steelers must defeat the Dolphins (7-8) in Miami Sunday and hope multiple games fall in their favor. Among the scenarios are the AFC East champion Patriots (10-5) beating Houston (8-7) and the AFC North champion Bengals (10-5) beating the Jets (8-7).
However, the Patriots and Bengals may not play their regulars very long, if at all, because they are in the playoffs regardless of the outcome. Also, both teams will play the following weekend, one of them only six days after Sunday’s regular season-ending game.
The Steelers’ chances of returning to the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons were lessened when the Colts (14-1) rested their starters after taking a 5-point lead Sunday, and the Jets came back to win, 29-15. That put the Jets in position to make the playoffs if they win Sunday, just as the Ravens (8-7) can if they win at Oakland.
Despite the Colts’ much-debated decision that not risking injury to a key player was more important than going for a 16-0 season, Tomlin doesn’t believe in telling another team what to do with its personnel.
“I trust that those coaches are going to do what they feel is best for their football teams,’’ he said. “I’m going to do what’s best for mine. Very rarely do I pass judgment on the decision-making of other coaches in regard to other teams, because I don’t have a pulse on their group.’’
Steelers safety Troy Polamalu may not be ready to play Sunday.
Polamalu, the five-time Pro Bowler who has been out for the last six games and most of a seventh with a left knee injury, began running in a straight line only Monday.
He has yet to begun cutting, turning or twisting, moves needed to play in a game.
McCray arrested
New Orleans backup defensive end Bobby McCray was arrested early yesterday and booked into Orleans Parish Prison and charged with driving while intoxicated and other counts, police said. He was released on his own recognizance around 7 a.m. . . . Falcons kicker Matt Bryant suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday’s win over Buffalo, so the team signed former Raven Steve Hauschka . . . The Lions said quarterback Matthew Stafford had successful minor surgery on his right knee.
Vikings regroup
Forget the play-calling, the audibles, and any perceived rift between Brett Favre and Brad Childress.
The way defensive end Jared Allen sees it, the veteran Vikings defense is the biggest reason Minnesota lost the game in Chicago Monday night and lost a chance to move closer to a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs.
“Defensively, I put this all on us,’’ Allen said after the 36-30 overtime loss to a Bears team that had shown little signs of life in recent weeks. “We did not make enough plays. We didn’t tackle or stop the run like we were supposed to.’’
The Bears’ Jay Cutler threw four TD passes in the game.
Source:boston.com/
To Tomlin, the Steelers (8-7) put themselves in a position where they need a lot of assistance to make the AFC playoffs, so they shouldn’t go begging for help.
“I could [not] care less how the Bengals approach what it is they do,’’ Tomlin said yesterday.
To make the playoffs, the Steelers must defeat the Dolphins (7-8) in Miami Sunday and hope multiple games fall in their favor. Among the scenarios are the AFC East champion Patriots (10-5) beating Houston (8-7) and the AFC North champion Bengals (10-5) beating the Jets (8-7).
However, the Patriots and Bengals may not play their regulars very long, if at all, because they are in the playoffs regardless of the outcome. Also, both teams will play the following weekend, one of them only six days after Sunday’s regular season-ending game.
The Steelers’ chances of returning to the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons were lessened when the Colts (14-1) rested their starters after taking a 5-point lead Sunday, and the Jets came back to win, 29-15. That put the Jets in position to make the playoffs if they win Sunday, just as the Ravens (8-7) can if they win at Oakland.
Despite the Colts’ much-debated decision that not risking injury to a key player was more important than going for a 16-0 season, Tomlin doesn’t believe in telling another team what to do with its personnel.
“I trust that those coaches are going to do what they feel is best for their football teams,’’ he said. “I’m going to do what’s best for mine. Very rarely do I pass judgment on the decision-making of other coaches in regard to other teams, because I don’t have a pulse on their group.’’
Steelers safety Troy Polamalu may not be ready to play Sunday.
Polamalu, the five-time Pro Bowler who has been out for the last six games and most of a seventh with a left knee injury, began running in a straight line only Monday.
He has yet to begun cutting, turning or twisting, moves needed to play in a game.
McCray arrested
New Orleans backup defensive end Bobby McCray was arrested early yesterday and booked into Orleans Parish Prison and charged with driving while intoxicated and other counts, police said. He was released on his own recognizance around 7 a.m. . . . Falcons kicker Matt Bryant suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday’s win over Buffalo, so the team signed former Raven Steve Hauschka . . . The Lions said quarterback Matthew Stafford had successful minor surgery on his right knee.
Vikings regroup
Forget the play-calling, the audibles, and any perceived rift between Brett Favre and Brad Childress.
The way defensive end Jared Allen sees it, the veteran Vikings defense is the biggest reason Minnesota lost the game in Chicago Monday night and lost a chance to move closer to a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs.
“Defensively, I put this all on us,’’ Allen said after the 36-30 overtime loss to a Bears team that had shown little signs of life in recent weeks. “We did not make enough plays. We didn’t tackle or stop the run like we were supposed to.’’
The Bears’ Jay Cutler threw four TD passes in the game.
Source:boston.com/
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Steve Jobs lobbying the city council
Apple's plans to build a second Cupertino campus got a green light Monday. Here's why.
Three years ago last April, Steve Jobs himself addressed the Cupertino city council to announce his intention to expand Apple's (AAPL) operations in their town.
After telling council members that he had originally thought to build a new campus in another city, he reminded them that Apple was — and still is — the town's largest tax payer.
It was a classic Steve Jobs sales pitch, and when he was through, the town's elected officials actually applauded his performance.
Below the fold: The April 2006 video, via Cult of Mac.
"Classic Steve Jobs sales pitch"? He told them Apple was staying in Cupertino because they managed to find one spot that would work for them despite it supposedly being much more expensive for them to do so, and made a veiled threat that they could always leave if they get frustrated…
Posted By timopg: December 9, 2009 2:08 AM
I recall an article that was written soon after SJ's return to Apple. It was an interview that took place at the Apple campus in Cupertino. SJ was dressed in shorts and running shoes and talked about how much he disliked the institutional feel of the complex. In his view the company had lost its innovation edge and perhaps the insurgent mindset that was a hallmark of the company's early days under his leadership. If I recall correctly, the campus represented to him everything that had gone wrong at Apple.
Twelve years later its remarkable how much the circumstances have changed. We all know Apple recaptured its lost spirit of innovation. The company's obsession with product design, customer satisfaction and corporate success has brought the enterprise to a new and in a way ironic spot.
That old complex that seemed institutional and oversized has now become too small to serve the needs of the people who have crafted a success story beyond most people's imaginings when SJ returned to the helm 12 years ago.
This is the next chapter of the amazing American corporate tale about a technology company that had its beginnings in a residential garage and may soon become the most highly valued corporate enterprise in the land. It's a stranger than fiction story of second chances, renewed vision, perseverance, hard work and nearly unbridled success.
Source:cnn.com/
Three years ago last April, Steve Jobs himself addressed the Cupertino city council to announce his intention to expand Apple's (AAPL) operations in their town.
After telling council members that he had originally thought to build a new campus in another city, he reminded them that Apple was — and still is — the town's largest tax payer.
It was a classic Steve Jobs sales pitch, and when he was through, the town's elected officials actually applauded his performance.
Below the fold: The April 2006 video, via Cult of Mac.
"Classic Steve Jobs sales pitch"? He told them Apple was staying in Cupertino because they managed to find one spot that would work for them despite it supposedly being much more expensive for them to do so, and made a veiled threat that they could always leave if they get frustrated…
Posted By timopg: December 9, 2009 2:08 AM
I recall an article that was written soon after SJ's return to Apple. It was an interview that took place at the Apple campus in Cupertino. SJ was dressed in shorts and running shoes and talked about how much he disliked the institutional feel of the complex. In his view the company had lost its innovation edge and perhaps the insurgent mindset that was a hallmark of the company's early days under his leadership. If I recall correctly, the campus represented to him everything that had gone wrong at Apple.
Twelve years later its remarkable how much the circumstances have changed. We all know Apple recaptured its lost spirit of innovation. The company's obsession with product design, customer satisfaction and corporate success has brought the enterprise to a new and in a way ironic spot.
That old complex that seemed institutional and oversized has now become too small to serve the needs of the people who have crafted a success story beyond most people's imaginings when SJ returned to the helm 12 years ago.
This is the next chapter of the amazing American corporate tale about a technology company that had its beginnings in a residential garage and may soon become the most highly valued corporate enterprise in the land. It's a stranger than fiction story of second chances, renewed vision, perseverance, hard work and nearly unbridled success.
Source:cnn.com/
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