Top Washington lobbyist hired by PPA

07/29/2007

The U.S. pressure group Poker Players' Alliance, which seeks to legalise online poker through regulation or securing a "carve-out" from current prohibitionary laws in America has upped its game with the appointment of the registered Washington DC lobbying and law firm Barnes & Thornburg.

The Politico reports that according to a filing with the Senate secretariate Barnes & Thornburg is providing "general government representation including, but not limited to, legislative and regulatory initiatives involving internet gaming."

The appointment is further evidence of an increase in momentum from the PPA, which earlier this year took on the experienced government liaison executive John Pappas as a vice president and first permanent employee in the Alliance's D.C. office (see previous InfoPowa report).

Barnes & Thornburg's other clients include various local boards of commissioners as well as the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. In 2006, lobbying revenue totaled more than $2 million.