Lawmakers Feel the Pull of Future Paychecks

Thanks to the House Judiciary Committee, however, the staffers probably need not fret. The new Washington will not deprive them of their livelihoods.

And They Want What?

By conservative estimate, Washington has a gazillion coalitions. These ad hoc groups are amalgams of diverse interests that press for common legislation. It seems lobbying has gotten so expensive and complex that no trade association or law firm can carry the burden of persuasion alone anymore.

But the practice of joining forces in this way has gotten out of hand. There is hardly an issue, no matter how obscure, that does not have a coalition pulling for it. Here is a sampling of the narrowest and strangest pro-business coalitions:

LIFO Coalition: opposes repeal of the LIFO (last-in, first-out) inventory accounting method.

Active Financing Working Group: works to preserve the active financing exception to Subpart F of the Internal Revenue Code, which benefits U.S.- based financial services firms.

Government Withholding Relief Coalition: lobbies to repeal Section 511 of the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act, which requires a 3 percent withholding on government payments.

Industry Coalition on Sales Tax Simplification & BAT Nexus: monitors taxes on Internet access, sales and business activities.

Supporters of S Corporation Reform (also known as S Corporation Ad Hoc Working Group): promotes legislation to help S corporations, which are a type of partnership.

NAAQS Coalition: lobbies on the Clean Air Act's National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Working Group: opposes weakening of laws that allow executives to defer part of their salaries.

If you have a favorite coalition, please send it along.

Happy Spring, Bring the Green

It's spring, so it's time once again for azaleas and the President's Dinner, the multimillion-dollar fundraiser featuring President Bush to benefit the Republican congressional campaign committees.

This season has a new feature, too: the National Tribute for the Speaker of the House. For a mere $10,000 per couple, political action committees are being invited to honor Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) 20 years in Congress on June 6, the week before the Republicans' fete.

Hires of the Week

Common Cause has a new president, former representative Robert W. Edgar (D-Pa.). Edgar, who has been the general secretary of the National Council of Churches USA, replaces Chellie Pingree, who resigned to run for Congress.

The Motion Picture Association of America has repopulated its lobbying operation. Heading the new crew is Greg Frazier, the longtime aide to MPAA President Dan Glickman who was promoted to executive vice president. Michael O'Leary becomes a senior vice president and Anissa Whitten moves to vice president. Also joining the team is Daphna Peled, a former top aide to Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.).

Former House Ways and Means chairman Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) was named a senior adviser at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney. Also joining the firm as a strategist is former Thomas aide Alex M. Brill. Neither man intends to lobby, leaving that task to others at the firm.

Patrick Cleary, senior vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers, is moving to the PR firm Fleishman-Hillard.

Please send e-mail to kstreet@washpost.com.