Former Mayor Lenny Curry (love that word “former”) has made news again. Not for his tweets this time but for his new job as a Lobbyist for Ballard Partners. We guess he will be a lobbyist because that is what Ballard Partners does. They are a high-powered lobbying firm with offices in Washington, DC, Tallahassee and Jacksonville.
Ballard Partners’ expertise lies in navigating complex political and legislative environments, influencing policy decisions, and helping clients shape and achieve their public policy objectives. Their reputation as a top lobbying firm stems from their ability to effectively advocate for their clients’ interests and provide strategic guidance in an ever-changing political landscape.
In the meantime, we are curious about the hiring of Lenny by Ballard because in Florida, there’s a law that bans former lawmakers from lobbying state agencies for two years after leaving office. However, that restriction doesn’t apply to local leaders on the city level. It’s what some people call the “Mousa Rule,” which was passed by the city council in late 2019. Essentially, it prohibits future employment for two years if the person had a significant role in securing or negotiating a contract unless the city grants a special waiver. See the article about this waiver here. Lenny absolutely played a significant role in negotiating contracts on behalf of the city. In fact, Curry and his staff handed Ballard Partners over $2 million in city contracts. Surprise, surprise!
This is yet another example of the swampy nature of politics and how easily officials can transition into the lucrative world of lobbying.
We will keep an Eye on this developing story and especially on Lenny as he turns in his sweats and dons a lobbyist suit. We will also make sure the city doesn’t hand him a waiver to negotiate with us. We’ve had enough of his negotiations. They cost us too much!
