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Ballard Partners has picked up the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a client.
The devastating Southern California wildfires led some to question whether LA can accommodate the estimated 15M visitors who plan to attend the Games, while restoring destroyed infrastructure.
None of the Olympic sites were damaged by fires, though the Rose Bowl was in an evacuation zone for the Eaton Fire.
The Palisade Fire, which was between Malibu and Santa Monica, triggered an evacuation of Riviera County Club, site of host the golf competition.
Casey Wasserman, who heads LA28, visited Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago last month to update the president on the planning for the Games.
Trump predicted LA will host the greatest Olympics ever, and that the Games will go off without a hitch.
Brian Ballard, a top Trump fundraiser, heads his firm’s lobbying team that includes Patrick Kilcur, former executive VP-US government affairs at the Motion Picture Assn; and Michael LaRosa, who was communications director for Speaker Nancy Pelosi and press secretary for First Lady Jill Biden.
Anthropic, the San Francisco-based artificial intelligence start-up, has retained Republican powerhouse firm Fierce Government Relations for DC representation.
Chad Horrell, who was senior manager for government relations at DoorDash, has joined BGR Group as VP in its state and local practice.
Continental Strategy, which has close ties with the Trump administration, has registered Geneva-based Rolex as a client for services regarding the tariffs on watch imports.
Kimberly-Clark calls on Ballard Partners as it moves to acquires Kenvue, maker of Tylenol. 
Brett Horton, who was chief of staff to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, has joined the American Hotel & Lodging Assn. as its chief advocacy officer, a new position.
