Remember Joe Crowley, the ol’ fella Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez beat out to become the youngest woman in the House of Representatives ever? Have you wondered what he’s been up to? Well, now we have an answer: My man Joe has secured a wonderful new job at Squire Patton Boggs, the county’s fourth-biggest lobbying firm, which logged more than $24 million in lobbying income last year. It’s a big get for the firm and we wish them all the best!!!
Crowley’s reliance on lobbyist fundraising was a key part of Ocasio-Cortez’ campaign against him. As the Intercept reported last June, lobbyists were among those who were most supportive of Crowley in the dark times after his defeat:
“Joe Crowley is a great guy to have pint of Guinness with,” lamented Republican lobbyist John Feehery on Twitter. “For me, personally, it’s losing a mentor and a best friend,” Mervyn Jones, a former Crowley staffer who is now a lobbyist for Anheuser-Busch InBev and other clients, told Politico. “All my best to the Crowley staff,” tweeted Rory Cooper, a Republican at lobbying firm Purple Strategies.
In recent months, Squire Patton Boggs has represented such sweet and charming clients as Amazon, the ammo company Battle Born Munitions, and the Ad Hoc Coalition for Fair Access to Credit, which represents payday loan vultures.
Ousted or retired members of Congress frequently head straight for lobbying firms, particularly those like Crowley who had more power in Congress. (Crowley was chair of the Democratic Caucus.) And many who don’t actually register as lobbyists still work as “consultants” or “strategic advisors” in ways that aren’t required to be disclosed.
Have a blast at your new job, Joe! We’re all thinking about you and wishing you and your clients great success!