Weekly Newsletter

Ex-congressman registers as Ukrainian foreign agent

Posted by Keturah Hetrick on July 25, 2022

A former congressman with longstanding ties to Ukraine performed pro bono work for the country's parliamentary delegation, according to new Department of Justice filings.

Ex-Rep. Jim Slattery (D-Kan.) helped the delegation to arrange one-time meetings with 16 representatives and senators from both parties to "thank the U.S. for its support for Ukraine and answer any questions on the status of the war with Russia," according to one disclosure.

Slattery, who served in Congress from 1983-1995, has spent much of his time out of office representing various Ukrainian interests. He led an election-monitoring team in 2004, during Ukraine's Orange Revolution, and later attempted to secure former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's release from prison - unknowingly working against former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort.

Some people and organizations who "caught our eye" last week:

Trending Staffers› learn more

Kristin Amerling, Deputy Staff Director/Chief Counsel, House Jan. 6 Committee (current staffer) – Bravo!
Counsel in Chief vs. Commander in Chief
Sarah Matthews, Republican Communications Director, House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis (current staffer) – So-So
Facing circular firing squad
Jon Kott, Communications Director/Senior Adviser, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) (former staffer) – So-So
Struck oil - and criticism
Jaime Lizárraga, Senior Adviser/Member Services Director, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) (former staffer) – Bravo!
Call him Commish

Hill Departures

Courtney Jones, formerly Scheduler to Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA)
(now Operations Director at the Republican Main Street Partnership)
Blake Narendra, formerly Legislative Assistant to Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA)
(now Director of Senate Legislative Affairs at Department of Homeland Security)

Hill Moves and Promotions

Samantha Cantrell, now Communications Director for Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN)
(formerly Deputy Communications Director to Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV))
Bryce Causey, now Legislative Assistant for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)
(formerly Legislative Assistant to Rep. Marie Newman (D-IL))

Top hashtags of the week

#americanrescueplan – (51 mentions)
#righttocontraception – (37 mentions)
#bidenflation – (30 mentions)
#ny21 – (26 mentions)
#bidenbordercrisis – (24 mentions)