Anthony “Tony” Podesta began lobbying in late 2013 on behalf of a company co-owned by ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum aiming to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) [3] to the global market. Tony is the brother of John Podesta, former top climate change adviser to President Barack Obama and current top campaign aide for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 bid for president [4].
In October 2012 [5], Podesta Group began lobbying on behalf of the proposed ExxonMobil-Qatar Petroleum Golden Pass LNG facility [6] in Sabine Pass, Texas, according to lobbying disclosure forms. The forms indicate that Tony Podesta himself, not just his staff, lobbied on behalf of the terminal beginning in quarter four of 2013 [7].
Tony Podesta’s name also shows up on the Golden Pass LNG [8]lobbying disclosure forms for quarters one [9], two [9], three [10] and four [11] for 2014. During those quarters, Podesta lobbied for proposed federal legislation aiming to expedite the regulatory process for permitting LNG terminals.
Lobbying disclosure forms [12] for the first quarter of 2015 show that Podesta Group no longer lobbies on behalf of Golden Pass.
The company now employs FTI Consulting’s Timothy Glassco [13] to lobby for expedited permitting for LNG export terminals. Glassco, a former staffer for Obama’s 2008 presidential run, recently departed after almost seven years on the job at Podesta Group, according to his LinkedIn [14] profile [15].
Glassco has lobbied for Golden Pass since the Podesta Group began lobbying for the company back in 2012, according to the federal lobbying disclosure database.