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BlackRock, the high-profile global investment firm, has hired Cornerstone Government Affairs for strategic counsel on asset management industry dynamics related to working with Congress.
Due to its past commitment to environmental and social issues, Larry Fink’s firm has been front and center in the anti-woke backlash.
Indiana on Aug. 21 issued a cease-and-desist order against BlackRock for alleged securities fraud tied to its ESG products. Secretary of State Diego Morales accused BlackRock of misleading investors about its efforts to push ESG goals.
Despite the Hoosier State tussle, BlackRock’s support for shareholder ESG issues is but a fraction of its 2021 peak.
It backed 20 of the 493 ESG proposals, or four percent of the total, put forward at annual meetings during the 12-month period ended June. That compares to 47 percent of the 2021 proposals.
Cornerstone's David Planning and Christopher Hodgson handle the BlackRock push.
Planning was president Donald Trump’s special assistant for legislative affairs, handling outreach to the Financial Services and Energy & Commerce Committees. He also also worked on relations with leadership of the Republican Party.
Hodgson was vice president Mike Pence’s special assistant for legislative affairs, and deputy floor directory for House Majority Whip Steve Scalise.
BlackRock has $10.6T in assets under management.
Ballard Partners has signed to a represent the US unit of Rheinmetall, Germany’s biggest defense contractor, on Army procurement issues.
BGR Group signs on to provide lobbying and PR services for Terzo, an AI financial intelligence platform. Douglas Lute, chair of BGR’s international and defense practices, will join Terzo’s board of directors.
Avoq has landed Palantir Technologies, the controversial surveillance company founded by right-wing billionaire Peter Thiel, as a client.
Anne Kierig, who was senior manager of public policy at Amazon, has joined the American Advertising Federation as VP-government affairs. She takes over for Clark Rector, who is retiring after a 37-year run at AAF.
TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, which was established in compliance with the executive order signed by President Trump, has hired Valcour LLC, which has close ties with his administration.
