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In Albany, NYRI unleashes its very own power elite - lobbyists with juice
By Brendan Scott - Times Herald Record
Its battle to build a $1.6 billion power line across the state has just begun, but New York Regional Interconnect has already spent $292,501 trying to win influence in the halls of power.
Since announcing the 1,200-megawatt mega-project last spring, NYRI has called out some of the biggest big guns in Albany's and Washington's high-powered lobbying worlds. In all, the company has 16 lobbyists from four firms working on its behalf.
Headlining the list is Bracewell & Giuliani, who's Republican bona fides and roster of former agency heads have led many to consider it one of the energy industry's most influential advocates on Capitol Hill.
Bracewell lobbyists registered to represent NYRI include Edward Krenik. He most recently served as the Bush administration's liaison between Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency. Such expertise could prove invaluable to NYRI if the company tries to tap a new law that lets the federal government override state decisions on power line projects. Several members of Congress are seeking to gut the 2005 law. NYRI had paid Bracewell at least $75,000 as of Dec. 31, according to federal lobbying disclosure records.
Meanwhile, NYRI continues to retain three lobbying firms in the state capital, where the proposal has met fierce resistance from the governor to lawmakers to state regulators.
NYRI's Albany lobbyists include Leonard Singer, who also serves as the company's legal counsel, and Pataki-era Public Service Commission Chairwoman Maureen Helmer.
State lobbying records, updated every two months, show NYRI had paid Singer and his firm $29,790 for his lobbying efforts as of April 30. Helmer and her firm had received $67,500 in the same time frame.
In September, the company also hired Bolton-St. Johns, which reported taking in $5.2 million in 2006, making it Albany's second-highest grossing lobbying firm. The firm, which is led by Norman Alder, a former labor operative and top Assembly aide, is known for its Democratic ties. Bolton-St. Johns recently hired Adler's old boss, former Assembly Speaker Mel Miller, D-Brooklyn. NYRI has paid the firm $120,000.
NYRI'S TEAM
Rudy Giuliani: The former New York City mayor lent his name to the Houston-based lobbying law firm Bracewell & Giuliani in 2004. Giuliani's campaign says the Republican presidential candidate doesn't participate in lobbying.
Edward Krenik: Helped craft President Bush's controversial Clean Skies Act and served as the Environmental Protection Agency's liaison to Congress. Krenik has since left the administration to join Bracewell.
Norman Adler: Became a leading labor operative and Democratic strategist after holding the Assembly's most powerful appointed post. He now leads one of Albany's top lobbying firms.
Mel Miller: Led the Democratic state Assembly from 1987 to 1991, when a federal fraud conviction forced him to resign. The charges were later overturned. Miller recently joined Adler's lobbying firm.
Maureen Helmer: Served as top counsel to the Republican state Senate's Energy Committee before Gov. George Pataki appointed her to lead the state Public Service Commission. She has since become a lobbyist.0
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