Scott Brown Becomes The Latest Fox Contributor To Join A Lobbying Firm
Written by Oliver Willis
Published
Fox News contributor Scott Brown announced today that he has joined Nixon Peabody LLP as “counsel in the firm's Boston office.”* According to the firm's press release, Brown, a former Republican senator from Massachusetts, will “focus his practice on business and governmental affairs as they relate to the financial services industry as well as on commercial real estate matters.”
Nixon Peabody was paid over $2.5 million to lobby Congress from 2011-12. The group's top lobbying clients include the Council on Affordable Housing & Rural Development, Sallie Mae, the Monroe County Water Authority, Wegmans Food Markets, and Goldman Sachs.
Open Secrets reports that Nixon Peabody took in over $1.5 million in lobbying payments in 2012, and over $1 million in 2011.
Fox News was a vital part of Brown's campaign to win the special election for the vacant Senate seat in Massachusetts in 2010. In addition to considerable airtime to promote his website, Fox personalities promoted Brown's candidacy -- Fox anchor Stuart Varney went so far as to tell viewers that “your 401(k) could do well” if Brown won.
After his defeat in November 2012, Fox followed the now well-worn path of other Fox-favored candidates and became a paid contributor to the network.
Like Brown, Fox News contributor Jon Kyl (also a former Republican Senator) recently joined the lobbying firm Covington and Burling.
Several Fox contributors and guests have failed to clearly disclose their business ties when appearing on-air to discuss related industries. Former Sen. Al D'Amato (R-NY) appeared on Fox News to attack health care reform without revealing he had previously received nearly $1 million in lobbyist fees from New York-area hospitals, while former Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) attacked taxes on medical devices without noting that his law firm represents several of the manufacturers of those devices.
*This piece originally erroneously referred to Brown's position as “a financial services lobbyist.”