Potomac Flacks

Job of the Week - FEC Press Officer

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) seeks an experienced media relations specialist, organization spokesperson, and/or print or broadcast journalist to lead its fast-paced press operation. Must have superior writing, editing and oral communication skills and the ability to craft news products to build and maintain informed public support for the agency. Salary range: ($115,317 - $149,000/ yr). Full vacancy: http://www.fec.gov or Office of Human Resources: 202-694-1080. (PF Tipster)

Coley to Kennedy

Anthony Coley will be Sen. Ted Kennedy's (D-Mass.) new comm. director. Coley is returning to Capitol Hill after two years as press secretary and comm. director to Gov. Jon Corzine in New Jersey. He was previously then-Sen. Corzine's spokesman in Washington and also served as communications director for Sen. Zell Miller and Cong. Harold Ford.

He also worked for Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign as a regional communications director in 2004. (PF Tipster)

Barton's New Flack

Sean Brown has been hired as Press Secretary for Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX). Brown was a television reporter at the ABC station in Naples, FL. He worked in television news for 10 years, including as a reporter at the ABC affiliate in Arkansas. He is a native of Mesquite, TX, just outside Barton’s district. Brown replaces Karen Modlin, who moved to Texas. (CQ's People on the Move)

Welcome Aboard O'Neil

Lt. Cmdr. Chris O'Neil is the new chief of media relations at the Coast Guard headquarters in southwest D.C. O'Neil previously served as a public affairs officer for the Coast Guard in Miami. He replaces Cmdr. Jeff Carter who is retiring after 26 years of military service. (PF Tipster)

Amy Call Joins Ernst & Young

Amy Call has joined Ernst and Young's Washingtion D.C. office and is working for their Public Relations team in the Office of Public Policy.  Call, widely-know and highly-repected around town, was formerly Sen. Bill Frist's communications director and did a brief stint at AOL out in Dulles, VA.  (PF Tipster)   

DHS Press Aide Heads to Dittus

Robert Jameson, a press aide at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is moving over to Dittus Communications as a Senior Account Executive. (PF tipster)

Setting Up Shop! The Bonjean Company

Ron Bonjean, one of the top communication operatives in town, has started his own firm, The Bonjean Company.  His firm will focus on strategic work for clients in communications and lobbying.  Not wasting any time, Bonjean is hitting the ground running.  He's already inked a deal with the National Republican Senatorial Committee and has a select group of financial services and energy clients on retainer.  Bonjean earned his stripes on Capitol Hill working for Sen. Lott and then-Speaker Dennis Hastert.  He also did a stint at The Commerce Department.  Most recently, he was the Chief of Staff at the Senate Republican Conference.  We know his new venture will be a big success ... Good luck!  (PF Tipster)   

New Rep. Scalise Hires Former Grassley Aide as Communications Director

Lucas Bolar has been hired as Communications Director in the office of newly-elected Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA). Bolar was Deputy Press Secretary for Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) before joining Scalise's special election campaign staff. (PF tipster)

Adfero Group Adds Schick as Partner

Adfero Group has added veteran communications strategist Michael Wm. Schick as a Partner.  Schick has more than 25 years of experience managing integrated communications campaigns involving issue advocacy advertising, online communications, media relations, ally development, crisis management, litigation and lobbying support.  For the past five years, Schick was Senior Vice President at Porter Novelli in Washington, D.C., and served as the company's global leader for alliance building. Schick's prior experience includes heading communications at the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform and COO of Justice Fellowship, the public policy arm of Prison Fellowship. (PF Tipster)

DeCleene all that You can Be

Ted McKenna at PR Week reports that, "former Ketchum VP of public affairs Randy DeCleene is now special assistant for strategic communications to US Army Secretary Pete Geren, a former Texas congressman. Prior to joining Ketchum, DeCleene was deputy press secretary to vice president Dick Cheney." (In Brief Blog - PR Week)

Haynes to Davis

Alexandra Haynes has been hired as Press Secretary in the office of Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY). Haynes replaces Amanda Keating. (CQ's "People on the Move")

Aloha Marvin Buenconsejo

Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) has hired Marvin Buenconsejo as Communications Director. Buenconsejo spent the past 17 years in television news in Hawaii, working at Fox affiliate KHON-TV and NBC affiliate KHNL-TV. He replaces Michael Levin. (CQ's "People on the Move")

Driskell Named Press Secretary for Rep. Frank Lucas

Josh Driskell has been promoted to Press Secretary for Rep. Frank D. Lucas (R-OK). Driskell was a field representative. He replaces Jim Luetkemeyer, now an assistant vice president at Widmeyer Communications. (CQ's People on the Move)

JOB OF THE WEEK - Manager of Media Relations at The Tax Foundation

The Tax Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Washington devoted to researching tax and fiscal policy, is looking to fill the position, Manager of Media Relations. Prefer: Working experience at a television news operation. Other broadcast or print media experience desirable, as well as experience promoting the work of think tank scholars to the media. Credentials: B.A. expected, but strong writing skills and persuasive delivery essential.  Salary: competitive and commensurate with experience.  Please send resume to ahern@taxfoundation.org with ‘media job’ in the subject line.

Tucker Carlson Lets Loose with Senate Flacks

MSNBC’s Tucker Carlson had many opinions to share during a talk last week with Senate flacks as part of a Senate Press Secretaries Association speaker series in the Russell Senate Office Building.

Carlson began with how unvetted Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is:

“Obama’s the kind of guy you sit with on a flight from Dulles to LAX and you have a few glasses of red wine. You have a great semi-drunk five hours across the country. But you don’t know anything about the guy. He could be the escaped state mental patient.”

His thoughts on Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.): “You are a drunk, boorish house guest. Get the hell out of here.”

And Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.): “I can tell you that McCain doesn’t know why he got it. I like the guy. He never yelled at me.” (The Hill)

Watkins Watch! Peter sighted on the Streets of D.C.

We're not sure if it's the annual fly-in for the many clients of Watkins Global Strategies or if it's to attend the annual White House Correspondent's Dinner, but a certain PF Tipster (hint: not Pedro) reports seeing the esteemed Peter Watkins on the streets of Washington D.C.  Peter, who served as uber-spokesman (Northeast and West Coast) for the White House Office of Media Affairs, Deputy Press Secretary for the First Lady, and as Press Assistant to the President, is now the President of Watkin's Global Strategies, a strategic communications firm based in Utah. (PF Tipster)

Tony Snow Discharged from Spokane Hospital

Former White House press secretary Tony Snow was discharged from a Spokane hospital where he had been admitted for an undisclosed illness.  Sacred Heart Medical Center spokeswoman Pat Servine said Snow was released Thursday morning. Patient privacy rules prevented her from giving details about his illness, she said. Snow was admitted to the hospital after falling ill and canceling some appearances Tuesday at Eastern Washington University.  We're glad you're feeling better TS!  Hang in there. (AP)

Rep. Cramer Hires Gibson as Comms Director

Jennie Gibson has been hired as communications director for Rep. Robert E. "Bud" Cramer, D-Ala.  Gibson replaces Adam Muhlendorf. (CQ's People on the Move)

White House Hires Hatch Press Aide

Jared Whitley has joined the White House communications office as associate director.  Whitley, a Salt Lake City native, has worked on media for Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, as press assistant and as acting press secretary.  In January, Whitley volunteered for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's GOP presidential campaign in Iowa.  Before coming to Washington, Whitley was a newspaper reporter in Utah.  He graduated from the University of Utah in 2003.  Good luck in you new post! (CQ's People on the Move)

Nicolle Wallace to Team McCain

J. Mart at Politico has the scoop again! John McCain's campaign is bringing on a top figure from the Bush-Cheney reelection to help with strategy and communications.  Starting May 1, Nicolle Wallace will serve as a senior adviser to the campaign.  Wallace served as communications director for Bush-Cheney '04 and held the same post in the White House at the start of the president's second term.  She since moved to New York and has been on contract with CBS, offering political analysis for the network.  But now she's cut ties with CBS and will be available to  McCain full-time, participating on the campaign's strategy calls and adding another voice to the campaign's tight-knit inner circle.  Wallace will work closely with McCain adviser Steve Schmidt and communications director Jill Hazelbaker in fashioning the candidate's message and press strategy. (The Politico)