Menu Search Account

LegiStorm

Get LegiStorm App Visit Product Demo Website
» Get LegiStorm App
» Get LegiStorm Pro Free Demo

Caught Our Eye

Puerto Rico lobbying balloons after Maria

Posted by Keturah Hetrick on Oct. 16, 2017

In the month after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, some lobbyists are finding opportunity from the crisis.

While the island was already the subject of federal lobbying efforts involving the debt crisis, statehood and health care, the September hurricane accelerated the pace of new registrations. Four lobbying firms have already disclosed new contracts related to Puerto Rico disaster recovery. In the nine months prior to Maria, lobbying firms signed 10 new contracts for Puerto Rico-related work.

New clients include Puerto Rican investment company Omega Enterprises, which disclosed lobbying work through Prime Policy Group last week. The contract's lobbyists include Charlie Black, who previously had been a longtime business partner of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone.

So far, there have no new lobbying filings specifically focused on the U.S. Virgin Islands following similar hurricane devastation.