Potomac Flacks

Thornton Joins House Majority PAC as Communications Director

Roll Call’s Abby Livingston reports, “House Majority PAC, a super PAC aiming to elect House Democrats, recently hired Matt Thornton as its new Communications Director. He replaces Andy Stone, who recently left the group for a position at Facebook.”

Thornton previously served as a Senior Communications Adviser for American Bridge 21^st Century.  Previously, he was Communications Director for U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and U.S. Rep. Zack Space (D-OH). He also worked on the 2006 gubernatorial campaign of Jim Davis (D-FL) and the 2004 congressional campaign of Allyson Schwartz (D-PA).  (Roll Call / PF reporting)

YG Network Names Bond as Communications Director

Conservative nonprofit 501 (c)(4) YG Network has named Chris Bond as Communications Director.  Bond was previously Press Secretary for the National Republican Senatorial Campaign committee (NRSC).  Bond will be assisted in the communications shop by Mark Bednar.

In addition, YG Network has named as policy advisers National Review Institute President Kate O’Beirne, Purple Policy head Michael Ramley and Winston Group Vice President Kristen Soltis Anderson. (PF tipster)

EXCLUSIVE: Sroka from PCCC to Democracy for America

Neil Sroka starts this week as the new Communications Director of Democracy for America -- the one million member strong, progressive organization founded by former Gov. Howard Dean (D-VT).

Sroka previously served as the Press Secretary for the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Communications Director for Rep. Ann McLane Kuster's 2010 campaign and the first Director of New Media at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

He's a native of Buffalo Grove, IL and a graduate of George Washington University.  (PF
tipster)

Former Giffords CoS and DHS A/S for Public Affairs to run new Giffords PAC

First reported in Politico “Playbook,” Pia Carusone, longtime chief of staff to former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ), just left her post as Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, to be executive director of the new Giffords PAC, Americans for Responsible Solutions.  (Politico “Playbook”)

Bader to run Communications for RSLC

Per Roll Call’s “People on the Move,” Jill Bader has been hired as communications director at the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC).

She was Florida communications director for the Republican National Committee and the Romney Campaign. She also has worked as senior public policy and communications adviser for the Girl Scouts of the USA. Bader also served as press secretary to Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and the Senate Republican Conference.  (Roll Call’s “People on the Move”)

Clemente Departs House Republican Policy Committee for American Action Forum

First reported in Politico’s “Huddle,” Noelle Clemente is joining "the American Action Forum as Press Secretary.

She joins AAF from the leadership office of House Republican Policy Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-GA)," where she's been serving in the same role. "Clemente's hire is part of a coordinated effort to expand AAF's media role in the policy fights of 2012 and beyond."

Clemente had previously worked as a Research Associate at the Heritage Foundation.

Clemente is a 2010 graduate of Elon University.  (Politico’s “Huddle”)

Roskam Flack Conston to The Action Forum

Reported by Roll Call, Dan Conston started Monday as Communications Director for The Action Forum, a consortium of Republican-aligned groups (issue advocacy firm American Action Network, the policy institute American Action Forum and the Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC, which supports House candidates).

Conston had been serving as a top communications aide to Chief Deputy Majority Whip Peter Roskam (R-IL).

Before rejoining Roskam’s office in 2011, Conston managed communications in 2010 for then-Rep. Jerry Moran’s (R-KS) Senate primary and for the Florida GOP for the general. In 2008, he did press for the presidential campaigns of former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) before joining Roskam for the first time in 2009.

Conston is a graduate of The George Washington University.  (Roll Call)

JOB OF THE WEEK: National Rifle Association, Media Liaison (Fairfax, VA)

The National Rifle Association (NRA) seeks to hire a Media Liaison at its Fairfax, VA headquarters. 

This position requires very strong writing skills. The successful candidate's primary area of responsibility will be developing quality public affairs related documents with high frequency.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1) Very strong writing skills.

2) Ability to produce press releases, op-eds, and letters to the editor on tight deadlines.

3) Develop pro-active and reactive public affairs related documents that will create support for NRA's position on legislative, political, crime and safety issues consistent with the NRA mission.

4) Create rapid response crisis management documents for delivery to newsmakers.

5) Coordinate and conduct pro-active and reactive media interviews

6) Other duties as assigned

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

College degree required. Strong writing skills essential. Knowledge of public relations and technical and general aspects of broadcast and print journalism and of local/federal politics helpful.  Knowledge of and support for the NRA's positions in defense of the Second Amendment are essential.

TO APPLY: Submit your resume with cover letter (required) to [email protected] or via fax to (703) 267.3938. The NRA is proud to offer an extensive array of benefits and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. (PF tipster)

Top Florida GOP Communicator Campbell Moving to DC to Lead Communications for the ACU

Kristy Campbell, recognized as a “highly effective and extremely smart” communicator according to an exclusive report in Politico’s “Morning Score,” has signed on as the new Communications Director for the American Conservative Union (ACU).  The new job will bring her to Washington, D.C. from her native Florida.

Campbell is the latest in “a series of big hires for ACU under the leadership of Al Cardenas, the former Florida GOP chairman who took over the organization this year.”

ACU is one of the nation’s largest and most influential conservative organizations, and, among other things, organizes the huge Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) each year.

Campbell is a former Press Secretary for former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL) and was Florida communications chief for former Gov. Mitt Romney’s (R-MA) 2008 presidential campaign.  Last cycle she was Communications Director for Bill McCollum’s (R-FL) 2010 gubernatorial campaign.  Before working directly for Gov. Bush, she was Communications Director for the Florida Department of Community Affairs. 

Said Chairman Cardenas, about Campbell, “Kristy is an experienced, respected conservative communicator...There has never been a more critical time to unite conservatives behind our common goals.”

Campbell is a diehard Florida State fan and an alumna, class of 2004.  She is a native of Melbourne, FL.  (Politico’s “Morning Score”)

Former Clinton White House, Edwards Campaign Flack Palmieri Named President of the CAP Action Fund

First reported in Wednesday’s Politico “Playbook”, Jennifer Palmieri will be named President of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, the sister advocacy organization to the Center for American Progress (CAP).

As part of this announcement, the CAP Action Fund will expand ThinkProgress.org.  The war room will be run by Tara McGuiness and be staffed by over 30 researchers, reporters and communications experts.

Palmieri was most recently Senior Vice President at CAP.  She was the National Press Secretary for the 2004 John Edwards presidential campaign.  In the 2002 cycle, Palmieri was National Press Secretary at the Democratic National Committee.  Before that she spent all eight years in the Clinton White House, in the roles of Deputy Press Secretary, Special Assistant to Chief of Staff Leon Panetta and Deputy Director of Scheduling and Advance.

Palmieri got her start in the Congressional office of then-Rep. Leon Panetta (D-CA).

She is a graduate of American University.  (Politico’s “Playbook”)