The Swamp Strikes Back As Amazon Hires Brother Of Biden’s Top WH Adviser As Lobbyist
It begins. Amazon has hired a lobbyist whose brother just happens to be a top White House adviser to Joe Biden.
Jeff Ricchetti founded his lobbying firm, Richetti Inc., in 2001 with his brother Steve. Steve is the incoming Biden adviser.
Richetti Inc. just disclosed that they are now registered lobbyists for Amazon starting from Nov. 13. Ricchetti says on disclosure forms they were hired to lobby for Amazon on “issues related to COVID-19, including implementation of the CARES Act.”
From The Daily Caller:
Ricchetti Inc. is poised to be a lobbying powerhouse in the Biden administration. Amazon is the 10th company the firm has registered as a client since May 1, 2020.
Ricchetti has a stable of other corporate clients, but had inked only one lobbying deal since July 1, 2016, according to records filed with Congress.
Ricchetti Inc. registered in August to lobby on behalf of Applied Materials, a California-based firm that produces semiconductor materials.
Ricchetti disclosed that he plans to lobby the White House and other executive agencies on U.S. trade policy with China.
Ricchetti also signed an agreement on Nov. 13 to lobby for Vaxart, a biotech company that is developing an oral vaccine for coronavirus.
Vaxart is under federal investigation over its claims to have been part of Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration effort to develop a vaccine this year.
Prosecutors are looking into whether Vaxart misled investors by falsely claiming to be part of Warp Speed.
Steve Ricchetti was deputy chief of staff in the Bill Clinton administration.
He also served as Biden’s chief of staff in the Obama administration.