A House Seat Won, a House Lost, and a House Leader Divided

Probably a lot of PACs will pay up. Pleasing the House's majority leader is something political action committees are usually eager to do.

But help for Richardson?

CREW's executive director, Melanie Sloan, thinks Hoyer's effort takes him in the wrong direction. "I'd prefer to see a member file an ethics complaint against Richardson rather than help retire her campaign debt," Sloan said in an e-mail.

Richardson's office did not return a telephone call seeking comment. Hoyer is not deterred and defends his decision to help Richardson. "There is no allegation of wrongdoing," Bernards said. "Mr. Hoyer feels comfortable supporting Representative Richardson as a fellow House Democrat."

Moving On

Harry A. Sporidis is a happy man. After a months-long battle with his former employer, Omnicom Group, Sporidis last week finally settled a lawsuit that had rocked him and the lobbying world.

Late last year, the Washington Group, a lobbying subsidiary of Omnicom, sued Sporidis, one of its senior vice presidents, for stealing away corporate clients when he jumped to another firm. The plaintiff sought more than half a million dollars in damages.

At the time, experts expressed astonishment that the dispute had gone to court at all. Lobbying is a very personal business. Clients tend to stick with their lobbyists like glue. When lobbyists move, one of their calling cards is almost always the "book of business" they can bring with them to the new job.

But Omnicom, an international advertising firm, tried to stop Sporidis from taking his clients with him. Apparently, it failed.

Omnicom declined to comment, and the settlement's terms are confidential. But Sporidis, in a statement, said: "I am pleased with how this matter concluded and that conclusion . . . only confirm[s] my position throughout this entire process. I am excited about moving on with my clients and having a long career in a profession that I truly enjoy."

Sporidis now works as a lobbyist at the law firm Powell Goldstein.

Banks vs. Retailers

For three years now, retailers have pushed hard to persuade the federal government to force credit card companies to reduce the fees they charge merchants. The card companies, in return, have accused the merchants of seeking price controls.

The issue is finally about to come to a head at the House Judiciary Committee, probably in the next few weeks, and both sides have been pulling out all the stops.