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Caught Our Eye

Concussion-prone wrestlers hire law firm to lobby

Posted by J. Todd Foster on April 25, 2016

Retired professional wrestlers have jumped into the lobbying ring, with Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP assembling a coalition of them to lobby in the areas of concussion research and sports safety regulations.

The specific amount of the contract — which Lockridge describes as being with "Retired Participants of the WWE" (World Wrestling Entertainment) — was not disclosed. Lockridge has said that the firm is receiving $50,000 per quarter from a similar coalition of retired National Hockey League players. 

The Lockridge lobbyists are listed as Andrew Burmeister, a federal relations specialist and former legislative assistant to former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.); Lianne Endo, a former deputy scheduling director for Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.); Rebecca Klett, Lockridge's state government relations director; Megan Knight, a former health adviser to former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty; Dennis M. McGrann, who manages the firm's Washington office and was a chief of staff to former Rep. Gerry Sikorski (D-Minn.); and Emily J. Tranter, a former research assistant to then-Sen. Mark Dayton (D-Minn.).

Lockridge is headquartered in Minneapolis and has a Washington office. 

A 2015 article by medicaldaily.com states that professional wrestling is a "silent killer" that is 20 times more likely to cause an early death than pro football. Two wrestlers are suing WWE for alleged negligence.

Several former players have filed a class-action lawsuit against the National Hockey League, which it accuses of failing to warn them about the short- and long-term effects of concussions. The league has argued there's no link between hockey and brain damage. Yet just last month, the New York Times uncovered private emails among NHL executives acknowledging that fighting could lead to concussions and long-term health consequences, including depression. Three NHL "enforcers," players paid to fight, died during a three-month period in 2011 — two by suicide and another by accidental overdose of prescription painkillers and alcohol.