With help from David Beavers and Aubree Eliza Weaver

TRUMP-CONNECTED FIRM SIGNS GÜLENIST GROUP: Gotham Government Relations & Communications, a New York lobbying firm that helped orchestrate Donald Trump’s campaign announcement and opened a Washington office after Trump won, has signed its first foreign client. The firm will represent Washington Strategy Group, a group aligned with Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish cleric living in Pennsylvania whom the Turkish government blamed for instigating a failed coup last summer. The group hired Gotham to secure the release of what Brad Gerstman, a Gotham partner, described as Turkish political prisoners being held in Saudi Arabia “at the behest and direction of” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “We’re going to use every resource we have as lawyers, as lobbyists reaching out to the administration” and Congress, Gerstman said.

— Gotham has touted itself as close to Trump’s administration, and Gerstman said that’s part of why Washington Strategy Group — which registered last year to lobby on “human rights violations and the protection of free expression in Turkey” — hired them. “They reached out to us for the same reason as any client reaches out to us — our proximity to the White House and our understanding of law,” Gerstman said. He also plans to travel to Saudi Arabia to personally lobby the Saudi government. Washington Strategy Group is paying Gotham a $50,000 retainer and $20,000 per month thereafter.

— The arrangement puts Gotham on the opposite of the Gülen issue as Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser, who tried to discredit Gülen while lobbying on behalf of a firm with ties to the Turkish government. But Gerstman said that Gülen and his supporters were being unfairly vilified. “They’re a model group of Muslims that should be supported by the United States,” Gerstman said.

TURKISH MAN WHO HIRED FLYNN HAD BUSINESS TIES TO RUSSIA: “The Turkish man who gave Mike Flynn a $600,000 lobbying deal just before President Donald Trump picked him to be national security adviser has business ties to Russia, including a 2009 aviation financing deal negotiated with Vladimir Putin, according to court records,” POLITICO’s Isaac Arnsdorf reports. “The man, Ekim Alptekin, has in recent years helped to coordinate Turkish lobbying in Washington with Dmitri ‘David’ Zaikin, a Soviet-born former executive in Russian energy and mining companies who also has had dealings with Putin’s government, according to three people with direct knowledge of the activities.

— “This unusual arrangement, in which Alptekin and Zaikin have helped steer Turkish lobbying through various groups since at least 2015, raises questions about both the agenda of the two men and the source of the funds used to pay the lobbyists.” Full story.

— “Former national security adviser Michael Flynn did not disclose payments for a 2015 speech in Moscow in his application to renew his security clearance in 2016, the leaders of the House Oversight Committee told reporters Tuesday,” POLITICO’s Austin Wright reports. “‘As a former military officer, you simply cannot take money from Russia, Turkey or anybody else,’ Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) said. ‘And it appears as if he did take that money. It was inappropriate. And there are repercussions for the violation of law.’” Full story.

Good afternoon, and welcome to PI. This newsletter is ravenous for tips. Switching jobs? Sign a new client? Get in touch: [email protected]. You can also follow me on Twitter: @theodoricmeyer.

MORE FIRST-QUARTER ANALYSIS: “From January to March, the number of registered lobbyists dropped 10.3 percent compared to 2016’s first quarter, with only 9,175 official lobbyists on record,” OpenSecrets Blog’s Ashley Balcerzak reports. “That number has been declining in recent years, but this is the biggest drop since lobbying reports started being reported quarterly. ‘The transition had a policy of not communicating with registered lobbyists and the first quarter decline is likely a result of lobbyists reading the writing on the wall and assuming the hostility demonstrated in the Obama years is going to continue in the Trump administration,’ said Caleb Burns, partner at Wiley Rein LLP.” Full story.

A LOOK AROUND THE CORNER: CGCN Group sent a memo to clients this morning with the firm’s take on the current political environment and what Congress might realistically get done in the rest of the year. “Whether repeal happens or not, there are several pending issues with more limited time available for discussion,” the memo reads. “The first is the continuing resolution to fund the government, which expires this coming Friday. … The other critical issue, of course, is tax reform. The stated goal of tax reform has become a moving target. Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) have worked diligently to move their revenue-neutral ‘blueprint,’ but recent talk inside the White House is now squarely aimed at reducing the tax burden on individuals and businesses. While this might be an easier sell to the American people and Republicans in the Senate, it remains to be seen if a more deficit-conscious House would be willing to go along with this approach.”

— Other items the firm expects Congress to move on during the rest of the year:

— Health care – Renewed push to accomplish Obamacare repeal and replace in May
— CHOICE Act – Hearing on Wednesday, markup and floor vote expected in May
— FY18 Budget that provides reconciliation for tax reform
— Flood insurance
— FAA
— SCHIP – Expires this summer
— Debt limit – Post-August recess
— Fund the government – September
— Infrastructure

TRUMP TOWER MUMBAI RESUMES SALES: “ Lodha Group plans to resume sales at Trump Tower Mumbai after a post-election hiatus, providing a test for India’s languishing luxury home market, and the U.S. president’s brand,” Bloomberg News’ Jacqueline Thorpe and Pooja Thakur Mahrotri reports. “Lodha, one of India’s largest property developers, will resume marketing apartments in the 75-story development in the next few months, said Abhishek Lodha, managing director of the privately held firm. … Lodha hasn’t had any communication with President Trump as he’s no longer involved with the business, Abhishek Lodha said.” Full story.

POLL: 67 PERCENT OF GUN OWNERS SAY NRA ‘OVERTAKEN BY LOBBYISTS’: “With the NRA preparing to hold its annual convention this week in Atlanta, complete with a planned address from President Donald Trump, a new poll commissioned by an anti-gun-violence PAC found that less than 50 percent of gun owners polled believe the NRA represents their interests,” POLITICO’s Louis Nelson reports. “Sixty-seven percent of gun owners polled said they either strongly or somewhat agree that the NRA has shifted from an organization dedicated to gun safety to one ‘overtaken by lobbyists and the interests of gun manufacturers and lost its original purpose and mission.’” The poll was conducted by Americans for Responsible Solutions, which advocates for stronger gun control. Full story.

TRADE GROUP SENDS LETTER SUPPORTING WITHDRAWAL FROM CLIMATE DEAL: “The Industrial Energy Consumers of America, a manufacturers trade group, is urging a White House energy aide to support efforts to convince President Donald Trump to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate change agreement,” POLITICO’s Eric Wolff reports. “The group sent a letter to George David Banks, a special assistant to the president on international energy matters, arguing that industrial customers bear the brunt of greenhouse gas regulation, including the effects of the Paris agreement. Although he has been closely involved in the discussions around the Paris pact, Banks’ position is far less senior that Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner, two of the top White House officials who are at odds over whether to remain in the international agreement.” Full story.

STATE DEPARTMENT REMOVES MAR-A-LAGO ARTICLE FROM WEBSITE: “The State Department on Monday removed from its website an article about the history and lavish furnishings of President Trump’s privately owned Florida resort club Mar-a-Lago, following questions about whether the federal government improperly promoted Trump’s moneymaking enterprises,” The Washington Post’s Anne Gearan reports. “Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) pointed to the travelogue-style blog piece Monday, asking in a Twitter message why the State Department would spend ‘taxpayer $$ promoting the president’s private country club.’ The State Department issued a statement Monday apologizing for ‘any misperception.’” Full story.

JOB MOVES:

— Dan Alfaro has joined Mercury’s Columbus, Ohio, office as a vice president. He previously provided strategic communications consulting to various industries in the Midwest, with demonstrated success in the areas of energy, agriculture, health care and federal government issues, according to a memo announcing the hire.

— The Reinsurance Association of America has added Nicole Austin as senior vice president for federal affairs. She was previously vice president for federal government relations at the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.

— Jeff Langer has joined Faegre Baker Daniels, working as counsel in the firm’s financial services practice. He was previously an assistant director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

— The R Street Institute has added Clark Packard as outreach manager. He was previously counsel and government affairs manager for the National Taxpayers Union.

— Dan Keniry is the new board chairman of the Faith & Politics Institute. He’s also the head of federal government affairs for UnitedHealth Group.

— “ Jeremy Harrell has joined ClearPath as its policy director as businessman Jay Faison‘s outlet further staffs up; he comes from [GOP Sen. Dean] Heller‘s office where he worked on energy, environmental and other policy matters,” per Morning Energy.

ON THE CALENDAR: More than 70 executives of bus and motorcoach operators will be on the Hill today and Wednesday for a fly-in organized by the United Motorcoach Association and its lobbying firm, Prime Policy Group.

NEW JOINT FUNDRAISERS:

None

NEW PACs:

#ProjectREDTX: Independent Expenditure-Only Committee, Unauthorized
Citizens Organized To Resist Egomaniacal Yahoos And Spiteful Trumpbacking Officeholders PAC (Super PAC)
DAGA (PAC)
Loyal Opposition; The (Super PAC)
Simon Group Holdings 1 LLC PAC (PAC)
Yes We Can Super PAC (Super PAC)

NEW LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS:

None

NEW LOBBYING TERMINATIONS:

Michael Esposito: Prairie Meadows
Phoenix Global Advisory Group Inc.: Alliance Diversified Enterprises Inc.
Phoenix Global Advisory Group Inc.: Cixcess Inc.
Phoenix Global Advisory Group Inc.: International Association of LGBT Investors and Private Business Owners
Vorys Advisors, LLC: Avita Health Systems
Vorys Advisors, LLC: Ohio Oil & Gas Association
Vorys Advisors, LLC: Thriving Communities Institute
Vorys, Sater, Seymour And Pease LLP: Ohio Oil & Gas Association
Winning Strategies Washington: Children’s Specialized Hospital

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