Introducing... The Fabulous Klugoza
“With Dennis and Scott — a bipartisan team of former congressmen — at the helm … Foley will offer our business clients the comprehensive strategic and legal counsel needed on the myriad of complex public policy and regulatory issues that they face,” said David T. Ralston, Jr., chair of Foley's government and public policy practice, in a statement.-- Megan Wilson, thehill.com, Feb. 6, 2014
We apologize to regular readers for being so late in getting the latest news about one of our favorite politicians, former Rep. Dennis Cardoza, The Pimlico Kid, Blue Dog-CA/MD...well, you know, Cardoza always eluded straightforward descriptions.
The Annapolis race-horse entrepreneur, who quit office a few years ago to go to work for Manatt Phelps lobbying firm in DC, probably because the westside water houligans didn't want him messing around with any interests but their own, left Manatt in February and joined a 172-year-old Wisconsin law firm, Foley and Lardner, where former US Senator Russ Feingold, D-WI, once worked. The firm had one lobbyist, former Rep. Scott Klug. Cardoza will now be representing companies like Canadian National Railroad Co, Aurora Health Care and a few others instead of the San Luis/Delta-Mendota Water Authority and the Santa Clara Water District.
Cardoza's departure occurred within a few months of former California State Treasurer Kathleen Brown's arrival at Manatt. It is fair to speculate that the governor's sister brought a little more clout to the water hoods and their finance masters than Cardoza did.
So, Cardoza, ever the team player, traded in the Pomboza -- his partnership with former Rep. Richard Pombo to destroy the Endangered Species Act -- and the Costoza -- his partnership with Rep. Jim Costa to destroy the San Joaquin River Restoration Project -- for the Klugoza.
We can laugh at Cardoza and intend to continue whenever the occasion arises, but you have to hand it to him -- CNRail looks like a better train to hook onto than the California high speed railroad, which his old firm, Manatt, is involved with, and the destruction of all environmental law and regulation in the name of "balance."
So, onward, Klugoza! And take a lap for Badlands and all our readers down the corridors of power holding hands and skipping. -- blj
2-6-14
thehill.com
Former Rep. Cardoza switches places on K Street
By Megan R. Wilson -
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/lobbying-hires/197535-former-rep-...
Foley & Lardner has hired former Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.) to help lead its federal public affairs practice.
Cardoza comes from Manatt, Phelps & Phillips’s government affairs department, where he had worked as managing director since leaving office in the fall of 2012. At Foley & Lardner, he will co-chair the law firm’s lobby shop with former Rep. Scott Klug (R-Wis.).
“He was known in Congress for his practical, business-oriented approach, which fits very well with Foley’s approach to addressing legal issues,” said Jay Rothman, Foley’s chief executive officer and chairman, in a statement.
During his five-term tenure in the House, Cardoza served on various panels, including the Agriculture, Foreign Affairs and Science committees. He was also a member of the Blue Dog Coalition of centrist Democrats.
“With Dennis and Scott — a bipartisan team of former congressmen — at the helm … Foley will offer our business clients the comprehensive strategic and legal counsel needed on the myriad of complex public policy and regulatory issues that they face,” said David T. Ralston, Jr., chair of Foley's government and public policy practice, in a statement.
The firm has a relatively paltry lobbying department, taking in only $210,000 in lobbying fees in 2013, according to federal records.
It represents the Canadian National Railway Co., Aurora Healthcare, Kinecta Federal Credit Union and a handful of other clients.
At Manatt, Cardoza represented several California-related interests, including the Santa Clara Valley Water District and San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority. Other clients included tuna packaging company StarKist tuna and the Financial Service Centers of America.