News
Defense contractors face more aggressive ransomware attacks
By Olivia Beavers | The Hill | April 13, 2018 Cybersecurity experts say defense contractors are facing more aggressive attacks as nation states and other hacking groups increasingly use malicious software to block information or manipulate data. The companies that provide U.S. military and intelligence agencies with products and services have long faced espionage-motivated attacks.…
Read MoreSpeaker Ryan’s retirement will have major impact on House defense debates
By: Leo Shane III and Joe Gould | Defense News | April 11, 2018 WASHINGTON — House Speaker Paul Ryan’s surprise retirement announcement Wednesday ensures a dramatic overhaul in congressional leadership next year, which could have wide-ranging effects on defense debates in an already politically fractured legislature. Ryan, R-Wisc., said in a press conference Wednesday he will step down from his leadership…
Read MoreChecks and Balance: The Appetite for Pork May Not Satisfy the Hunger for Change
By Kate Ackley | CQ Magazine | February 5, 2018 Lawmakers almost certainly won’t resurrect earmarks before the November elections, but they’ve moved their debate from the secretive confines of something resembling a Dead Earmarks Society meeting to the public view of congressional hearings. And with good reason: Those pots of federal money handed out…
Read MoreTop Lobbyists 2017: Hired Guns
By The Hill Staff | The Hill | November 2, 2017 © Greg Nash Josh Ackil and Matt Tanielian, Franklin Square Group Companies large and small rely on this tech-centric lobbying firm, which this year delved into big issues like broadband access and intellectual property enforcement. Andy Barbour, Smith-Free Group As a financial services pro, it’s…
Read MoreRepublicans may get the defense spending they dreamed of under President Trump
By Karoun Demirjian | The Washington Post | November 14, 2016 Defense hawks are quietly celebrating the election of Donald Trump — now, they might just get more than they ever dreamed possible. That’s because Washington Republicans and the president elect have more in common on defense spending and priorities than it might seem given Trump’s hardline foreign…
Read MoreHerson on Trump Team, Republican Congressional Leadership
BY VAGO MURADIAN | Defense & Aerospace Report | November 10, 2016 Michael Herson, the president of American Defense International and one of Washington’s top defense lobbyists, discusses who will populate the Trump administration and Republican congressional leadership with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.
Read MoreThere’s game-changing news for N.J. coming in new Congress
By Jonathan D. Salant | NJ.com | November 9, 2016 New Jersey’s congressional delegation, which has been a 98-pound weakling on Capitol Hill, soon may bulk up. When the 115th Congress convenes in January, Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11th Dist.) elected to his 12th term Tuesday, will be in line to chair the House Appropriations Committee, one of the…
Read MoreTop Lobbyists 2016: Hired Guns
By The Hill Staff | The Hill | October 26, 2016 Lobbying runs deep in Washington. Every day, thousands of law firms, associations and advocacy groups seek to exert influence over policymaking away from the glare of presidential and congressional politics. In such a crowded field, a select few have shown an ability to get…
Read MoreCritics claimed Saudi 9/11 bill would have serious consequences. Were they right?
by Karoun Demirgian | Washington Post | October 14, 2016 The Obama administration last month warned Congress there could be serious national security consequences for overriding the president’s veto to enact a law giving families of 9/11 victims a chance to sue Saudi Arabia for allegedly supporting the terrorists who carried out the attacks. The…
Read MoreAmerican Defense International’s Michael Herson on Hill Priorities, Defense Shifts
By Joe Gould | Defense News | September 11, 2016 American Defense International, a Washington, D.C., lobbying and consulting firm, counts among its clients General Atomics, SpaceX, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, L-3 Communications and Raytheon. Its president, Michael Herson, who served in White House and Pentagon staff jobs and as national security adviser to several…
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