Briefings from the Rotunda
FAMU’s lobbyist tapped as Al Lawson’s chief of staff
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ew Congressman Al Lawson named Tola Thompson, longtime director and assistant vice president of Florida A&M University’s government relations, to be his chief of staff. Lawson announced the hire in December. Thompson is a Tallahassee native and FAMU graduate. “I will miss the incredible people I have had the pleasure of working with and the tremendously talented students who are the reason why I lobbied so hard for FAMU,” Thompson said. But “I look forward to working with Rep. Lawson and the people of Florida’s 5th Congressional District, which includes FAMU, giving me the opportunity to support my alma mater once again,” he added. Interim President Larry Robinson announced that Barbara Cohen-Pippin will serve as FAMU’s new director of governmental relations, effective Jan. 10.
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She has more than 30 years of political experience, including serving as the special assistant to the president for governmental relations at Broward Community College from 2000–11. Cohen-Pippin was also a policy advisor to former Gov. Lawton Chiles and executive assistant to former University of Florida President Marshall Criser Jr.
Conflict of interest leads to a breakup between Miami-Dade and Gomez Barker
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omez Barker Associates withdrew as lobbyists for Miami-Dade County earlier this year after a falling out with the county commission. The commission not only ended its contract with the Miami firm but also decided to ban it from lobbying for the county for up to three years, according to the website. In November, Gomez Barker “was accused of essentially selling out the county” because it found a client — The Miami Dade Expressway Authority — that paid more, the Miami Herald had reported in November. Investigators for the Miami-Dade Ethics board said they found “ample evidence” the firm failed to disclose a conflict of interest over its representation of the Expressway Authority before lawmakers during the 2016 Legislative Session. Those conflicts were between the authority’s interests and the county’s transportation priorities, according to reports. Gomez Barker did not comment.
PHOTO: Via FAMU News; Bigstock
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