N.Y. Yankees Go Cap in Hand to Park Service

By Judy Sarasohn
Thursday, June 8, 2006

The New York Yankees reportedly have most of the state and city approvals that they need for the construction of a new baseball stadium. There's just a little problem with the National Park Service.

Apparently, a piece of the property received some federal park funds in 1978, meaning the Yankees need Park Service approval, according to PR executive Howard J. Rubenstein , a spokesman for the team.

So, the Yankees turned to the law and lobbying firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld for some help. The firm referred questions to Rubenstein.

Former congressman Bill Paxon , a New York Republican, and former Interior Department official Michael G. Rossetti recently registered to lobby on behalf of the Yankees and for "federal approvals necessary to complete stadium relocation."

Before joining Akin Gump in 2004, Rossetti was a counselor to then-Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton. His specialties at the law firm are Indian policy, land acquisition and law enforcement. Though the Yankees' issue does not involve Native Americans, the Interior Department, where Rossetti once worked, oversees the National Park Service.

Rubenstein said the firm filed a lobby registration "as a matter of caution," and that most of its work is strictly on legal matters.

Arnold & Porter Expanding

Arnold & Porter is bulking up its lobbying practice, raiding Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations of its general manager, Matthew L. LaRocco , and looking to add more folks, as well.

LaRocco builds on the law firm's addition last year of former House member Jim Turner (D-Tex.). The one-year ban on Turner's lobbying of his former colleagues recently expired, allowing him to register to lobby on behalf of such clients as CytoGenix Inc., a biotech company; Camel Manufacturing Co., which makes tents for the Defense Department; and Morton Grove Pharmaceuticals Inc.

"We made a conscious decision to grow the practice because the clients demand it," said Jeffrey H. Smith , former general counsel of the CIA, who heads the public policy practice.

LaRocco was a promoter of the recent merger of Fleishman's government relations group with the Mercury Public Affairs communications shop. Fleishman has suffered a talent drain over the past year, including LaRocco's father, former House member and lobbyist Larry LaRocco (D-Idaho), who left to run for lieutenant governor of Idaho.

Matthew LaRocco said the Mercury acquisition did not push him out. He said there is "a good fit" with Turner and that he wants to work on a homeland security practice with him.

Stayed tuned.

Ex-Governor Takes Over

A bit of musical chairs at DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary . . . former Michigan governor James J. Blanchard (D) is taking over as chairman of the law firm's U.S. government affairs practice group, succeeding Thomas F. O'Neil III , who is focusing on the firm's "government controversies" practice.

It's quite a group over there, including three former congressional majority leaders: George J. Mitchell (D-Maine) in the Senate, Richard K. Armey (R-Tex.) in the House and Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.) in the House.

Blanchard's job involves helping his colleagues keep their focus on the practice and on clients. He'll continue working with his own clients, which have included Canfor Corp., the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

"You don't manage lawyers, you lead them. They're tigers here," Blanchard said.

From Hill to Automobiles

Cody Lusk , chief of staff to Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Tex.), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, is returning to the American International Automobile Dealers Association, where he used to serve as legislative affairs director. Effective June 19, Lusk will be president of the organization.

Lusk also worked in the Bush administration, serving as liaison between then-Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans and Congress.

Marianne McInerney abruptly resigned earlier this year, following tensions within the group over the formation of a political action committee (since abandoned), and joined Visionary Vehicles.

AIADA represents American auto dealerships that sell such cars as Acuras, Hondas, Lamborghinis and Porsches.

Here and There

Also moving about town . . . Becky Relic , formerly a deputy assistant secretary at the Treasury Department, joined Hill & Knowlton this week as a senior vice president and director of the public affairs practice in Washington. Before joining Treasury, she worked for the McDonald's Corp. -- not serving burgers (she's a vegetarian) but directing the company's federal legislative, regulatory and political activities.

Kathleen Weldon , a policy staffer on the House Ways and Means health subcommittee, is joining Biogen Idec Inc. as vice president for government strategy. In that post, she will oversee federal government relations for the company's D.C. office.