The law firm that the Kamala Harris campaign has chosen to help set up a possible transition team also works as a lobbyist for a wide range of American corporations and foreign clients to influence the federal government.
The Harris for President campaign is working with Covington & Burling on setting up the transition, according to CNN. The campaign previously hired Covington & Burling to help it vet possible vice presidential picks before landing on the selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Presidential transition teams are responsible for vetting personnel and preparing policy plans so that candidates can smoothly take over the reins of power if they are elected.
While it works on Harris transition preparations, Covington & Burling is also employed as a lobbyist for 38 other interests that include companies, trade associations, individuals, and nonprofits.
Its highest-paying lobbying client this year has been Qualcomm, the semiconductor manufacturer that is fighting the government’s plans to restrict its sales to China. Its second largest client is the giant drug industry group the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), for which it is pushing the government on intellectual property issues, and a range of bills and laws including the Inflation Reduction Act, which contains measures meant to reduce drug prices.
Covington & Burling is also registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act as a lobbyist for SCM Consulting, a company owned by Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov that is pushing the U.S. to help Ukraine combat Russia’s seizures of assets like minerals and manufacturing facilities.. The firm has also been a long-time lobbyist for state-owned Moroccan fertilizer company OCP Group.
“It's somewhat inevitable that a law firm plays a big role, insofar as job applicants will feel more secure having their personal failings and financial records shared with someone with a professional obligation to remain discreet than with, say, freelance opposition researchers,” said Jeff Hauser, the executive director of the Revolving Door Project. “But it would be ideal if such a firm doing this work was chosen for having the smallest possible lobbying operation-—a characterization that certainly does not fit Covington.”
Besides its lobbying, Covington & Burling is working on the corporate side for some major cases involving the Biden administration.
