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From SourceWatch

Paul Dominique Laxalt is president of the Paul Laxalt Group, founded in 1990,^[1] which is or has been a registered lobbyist^[2] for Philip Morris^[3]/Altria Group, the American Gaming Association, Sirius Satellite Radio,^[4] American Land Conservancy, CSX Corp, and IDT Corp.^[5][6]

In 1998, the Paul Laxalt Group was a lobbyist for Milliken & Co.,^[7][8] "one of the largest privately held textile and chemical manufacturers in the world."^[9] In 1998, Milliken & Co. was also a client of the Laxalt Corporation, owned by the Senator's daughter,^[10] Michelle D. Laxalt, identified as Laxalt Group's president.^[11] Other Laxalt Corporation clients include the Motion Picture Association of America, Viacom Inc.,^[12] the Altria Group, American Gaming Association, and BP.^[13]

The Project on Government Oversight reports that between 1997 and 2004, the Paul Laxalt Group was a registered lobbyist for Lockheed Martin.^[14]

The Paul Laxalt Group and the Laxalt Corporation share the same 801 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 750, Washington, D.C., address.^[15] The Laxalt Group was joined by former Senator George Allen (R-Va.) following Allen's defeat by Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) in the 2006 congressional election.^[16]

Laxalt was named to the board of directors of Lee Technologies in April 2007.^[17]

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Contents 1 Controversy 1.1 Conflict of interest 1.2 Regnery 1.3 Politico to lobbyist 2 Political profile 3 Contact information 4 Resources 4.1 Related SourceWatch articles 4.2 References 4.3 External articles 4.4 External resources

Controversy

Conflict of interest

As stated above, among Paul Laxalt Group and Laxalt Corporation lobbying clients is the American Gaming Association, the lobbying group for U.S. gambling casinos, which would appear to be in conflict with the following:

"The original Ormsby House was built in 1860 but was later torn down in the early 1900s by then owner Dominique Laxalt. His son, former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Paul Laxalt, and his brother Peter rebuilt and opened the casino on July 4, 1972."^[18]

Regnery

In 1976, when Alfred S. Regnery, now president of Regnery Publishing and a director of Eagle Publishing, came to Washington, D.C., he "came under the wing of Sen. Paul Laxalt who was lobbying for the Family Protection Act."^[19]

Politico to lobbyist

"A hawkish Republican, Paul Laxalt is one of the bigger names in Nevada politics, having served as governor, from 1967 to 1971, and later as a US senator, from 1974 to 1987. He was a close confidant of Ronald Reagan (heading his election campaigns on three occasions), a strong supporter of the MX nuclear missile program, and a liaison between the Senate and the White House during the Iran-Contra scandal. An Army veteran, he was also, according to the New York Times, a good friend of late CIA director William Casey.

"After leaving Congress, Paul Laxalt pulled a classic politico move, promptly forming a lobby shop, dubbing it the Paul Laxalt Group, and hiring his brother Peter."^[20]

Political profile

Laxalt served 1963-1967 as Lieutenant Governor and 1967-1971 as the 22nd Governor of Nevada.

In 1972, Laxalt was a member of Allison MacKenzie before becoming a member of Laxalt, Berry & Allison until he was elected as the Republican U.S. Senator for Nevada in 1974,^[21] where he served until 1987.

"Long considered one of Reagan’s closest political allies and personal friends",^[22] Laxalt served as National Chairman of all of Ronald Reagan's campaigns (1976, 1980, and 1984)^[23] and served as General Chairman of the Republican Party from 1983 to 1987.^[17]

In 1981, Laxalt was appointed by President Reagan to the Presidential Advisory Committee on Federalism.^[24]

Contact information

Paul Laxalt Group

801 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 750

Washington, DC 20004

Phone: 202 624-0640

Laxalt Group West (This address shared by "Torture Taxi" Keeler and Tate registered agent Steven F. Petersen^[25])

245 East Liberty St.

Reno NV

Resources

Related SourceWatch articles

• Citizens for the Republic
• government-industry revolving door
• Keeler and Tate
• Extraordinary rendition

References

1. ↑ Communication Telesystems, Edgar Online, 1999.
2. ↑ Lobbying Disclosure, U.S. House of Representatives, Registrant ID32268 for The Paul Laxalt Group.
3. ↑ "Lobbyist Profile: Paul Laxalt Group," Influence.biz.
4. ↑ Lobbying Database (2007): Paul Laxalt Group, OpenSecrets.com. Click through years for additional listings.
5. ↑ Lobbying Database (2002): Paul Laxalt Group, OpenSecrets.org.
6. ↑ Lobbying firm: Paul Laxalt Group (1998-2004), LobbyWatch/Center for Public Integrity.
7. ↑ Client Summary: Milliken & Co., Revolving Door/OpenSecrets.org.
8. ↑ Paul Laxalt/Paul Laxalt Group, Revolving Door/OpenSecrets.org.
9. ↑ Milliken.com.
10. ↑ Siobhan Gorman and Shawn Zeller, "People for December 12, 1998," National Journal (American Enterprise Institute), January 1, 2000.
11. ↑ Campaign Contribution Search: Laxalt Corp, NewsMeat.
12. ↑ Lobbying Spending Database: Laxalt Corp (2002), OpenSecrets.org. Click through years for additional listings.
13. ↑ Lobbying Spending Database: Laxalt Corp (2007), OpenSecrets.org.
14. ↑ Senior Government Officials Turned Current & Former Registered Company Lobbyists for Lockheed Martin 1997 through 2004, Project on Government Oversight, 2004.
15. ↑ Laxalt Corp, AskYP.
16. ↑ Bob Gibson, "Allen forms PAC. Republican resurfaces on political scene," DailyProgress, June 1, 2007.
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1} Press Release: "Lee Technologies Forms Board of Directors – Members Include State and Federal Legislators and Industry Leaders," Lee Technologies, April 23, 2007.
18. ↑ Andy Bourelle, "Ormsby House officials have big plans," Reno Gazette-Journal, September 23, 2000.
19. ↑ "Alfred S. Regnery's long strange trip," corrente, October 26, 2004.
20. ↑ A.C. Thompson and Trevor Paglen, "The CIA's torture taxi. The trail of a secret spy plane leads to a mysterious outfit in Reno with ties to a prominent Nevada politico," San Francisco Bay Guardian, undated (post 9/11).
21. ↑ History, Allison MacKenzie.
22. ↑ Speaker: Paul Laxalt, Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia, October 9, 2001.
23. ↑ Paul Laxalt, NNDB.com.
24. ↑ Appointment of the Membership of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Federalism, Reagan Library, University of Texas, April 8, 1981.,
25. ↑ A.C. Thompson and Trevor Paglen (Unknown (2005? 2006?)). The CIA's torture taxi - The trail of a secret spy plane leads to a mysterious outfit in Reno with ties to a prominent Nevada politico.. San Francisco Bay Guardian. Retrieved on 2011-03-31. “Petersen runs his practice from a suite at 245 East Liberty St. in Reno; it's the same address listed on Keeler and Tate's official letterhead and is the only address listed on any document related to the company. We headed there next. We got a surprise when we arrived at the building, a five-story brown-glass office cube in downtown Reno, a few blocks from the neon-lit casino strip. Petersen shares his suite with a guy with deep Washington, DC, connections, a man named Peter Laxalt. Petersen and Peter Laxalt have a clear business relationship. The sign on the office door says Laxalt is "of counsel" to Petersen's law firm, meaning he works with Petersen. The building directory says the suite is also home to the Reno branch of the Paul Laxalt Group, a major Capitol Hill lobbying firm. ...Peter and Paul Laxalt are brothers. A hawkish Republican, Paul Laxalt is one of the bigger names in Nevada politics...”

External articles

• Robert I. Friedman and Dan E. Moldea, "Networks Knuckle Under to Laxalt: The Story That Never Aired," The Village Voice (Moldea.com), March 5, 1985; republished November 9, 1999.
• Warren Weaver, Jr., "Laxalt Joins G.O.P. Race for President," New York Times, April 29, 1987.
• Wallace Turner, "Laxalt Drops Suit Over News Article," New York Times, June 5, 1987.
• James Barrows, "Howard Hughes vs. The Tax Man," CasinoGaming.com, November 6, 2000.
• Judy Sarasohn, "A Marriage Group's 'Interesting' Union," Washington Post, June 2, 2005.
• Richard Stengel, "Hinting That He's Available," TIME Magazine, June 21, 2005.
• Mike Miller, "Nevada's Chic Hecht: Diminutive dark horse. A 'short, friendly, middle-aged man, full of energy and a geniune devotion to conservatism' who won an upset victory in the 1982 race for U.S. Senate," Las Vegas Review-Journal, June 11, 2006.
• George Knapp, "I-Team Exclusive: 'Torture Taxi' Connection With Nevada," LasVegasNow.com, February 27, 2007.
• Paul Abrams, "Thusfar, Not Much Inspiring in the '08 Campaign," The Huffington Post, March 12, 2007.

External resources

• Laxalt, Paul Dominque, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Paul Laxalt in the Wikipedia.
• John R. Bolton, "Bring Back the Laxalt Doctrine. Sometimes there's a better way to get rid of dictators," Policy Review/Hoover Institution, August/September 2000.