It would seem that two of the most well known, well respected men in their chosen fields have joined forces.
By Jacob Engels
No, Michael Bloomberg is not going to play for David Beckham’s Miami MLS team and no, David Beckham is not going to be an anchor on Bloomberg Television. These two superstars aren’t going in to business, but based on an email I got from Tallahassee PR guru Cory Tilley yesterday morning, their lobbyists and consultants are. Florida uberlobbyist Brian Ballard, known for representing the most high profile, moneyed special interests in Florida, has a client list that includes huge donors, employers, sports teams (including the Miami Heat, a roster of MLB teams, the Daytona Speedway), local governments, and yes, even David Beckham.
Ballard announced a strategic partnership on Monday with Tusk Strategies, founded by Bradley Tusk. Bradley Tusk, you may or may not know, was the guy who got Michael Bloomberg elected mayor of NYC in 2009. Tusk, it would appear, is not the Brian Ballard of NYC, but the guy you go to when you have a ton of money and need something passed in the Big Apple or the Empire State.
From the look at his client roster, he must do one heck of a job, because those guys who are paying him aren’t known for paying for failure. Knowing Ballard, we wouldn’t be surprised if he was actually partnering with Raymond Tusk, the billionaire king maker of House of Cards fame, but Bradley is just as impressive in his own rights. Tusk’s roster of clients would put him in the highest echelons of Florida government, and The Grey Lady herself referred to his campaign work as a “juggernaut of detail”.
So to recap, a campaign juggernaut with the best client list in NYC pairs up with the largest and most powerful lobbying firm in Florida. I’m not sure what this means for us little folks, but I have a feeling the Tusks and Ballards will do just fine out of this new strategic partnership.
With this announcement of the rich getting even richer in Florida and NYC, the question I’m wondering is: who is on deck in Texas and California? I’m sure there are some rich campaign managers (and maybe some lobbyists) out there looking to get even richer, too.
Jacob Engels, is the Founder of East Orlando Post & Seminole County Post. He is a seasoned political operative who has led numerous statewide political groups and has worked on several high-profile local, statewide, and national races. Jacob has been interviewed on national television & radio programs, with his work having been featured in the Orlando Sentinel, New York Times, Washington Post, Miami Herald and other publications nationwide. He can be reached at info@eastorlandopost.com
