Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough

Weekly Washington Wrap

• President Obama ended his vacation on Martha’s Vineyard last weekend and traveled to New Orleans to commemorate the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.  The president’s comments in Louisiana criticized how government dealt with the disaster response five years ago, and he transitioned his remarks to a call for BP accountability in compensating victims of the recent Gulf of Mexico oil spill. 

• President Obama’s first day back in the White House on Monday showed him in full campaign mode.  He accused Republicans of “barricading” a small business jobs bill that will be taken up by the Senate when Congress returns in two weeks.  Republicans insist that Democrats are to blame because they will not allow for a Republican amendment that would extend broader tax relief, including an estate tax fix. 

• Tuesday night marked an end to the bizarrely unpredictable Alaska Senate Republican primary held on August 24th.  Senator Lisa Murkowski conceded to her Tea-Party Republican primary opponent Joe Miller midway through the counting of 15,000 absentee ballots.  The unpredictability of primaries will likely result in a few more surprises during the third week of September when eight more states hold their primaries.

On Board with AbitibiBowater

AbitibiBowater announced today that Ambassador David Wilkins is one of nine new members selected to serve on its board.

AbitibiBowater produces a wide range of products – from newsprint and commercial printing to packaging papers, market pulp and other wood products.  It is the 8^th largest publicly traded pulp and paper manufacturer in the world and owns or operates numerous plants in the US (including here in South Carolina), as well as Canada and South Korea.  AbitibiBowater markets its products in more than 70 countries and is among the world largest recyclers of old magazines and newspapers. 

Wilkins will be serving alongside current Board Chairman Richard E. Evans and President and CEO David J. Paterson on this newly constituted board of directors. 

Business with BIPEC

Also this week, Wilkins was honored to learn that he has been unanimously elected to the board of the South Carolina Business and Industry Political Education Committee (SC BIPEC).  This organization of the state's top businesspeople makes it their business to know the business of state government.  BIPEC analyzes the impact of bills on business in South Carolina, tracks every member of the House and Senate on key business votes, and holds annual meetings that attract the top leadership to discuss and debate the most critical issues facing our state every year.

SC BIPEC's yearly "Legislative Report Card" provides a comprehensive summary – and grading of – our lawmakers' commitment to positive economic development policies. As a 25-year veteran of the South Carolina House of Representatives, and its speaker for 11 of those years, Wilkins is most used to being the one receiving the score.  Now, working with his BIPEC team, he has a unique opportunity to help evaluate how the legislature is serving our state and the businesses that make it thrive. 

The President and CEO of SC BIPEC is our good friend Tom Deloach (who, along with some of his buddies, made two memorable trips to Ottawa during the Wilkinses years there.  But, enough about that.  As the saying goes, what happens in Ottawa, stays in Ottawa.) 

Clemson Coup

Last week, donning his other hat (that of Chairman of the Clemson University Board of Trustees) David Wilkins had a chance to chat with the next governor of the great state of South Carolina. 

The November election is still months away, but South Carolinians can be assured that no matter who wins – that person will be a Clemson University alum.  (The last Clemson grad occupying the governor's mansion was Strom Thurmond – 63 years ago. Thurmond was elected back in 1947 and served as governor till 1951.  US history buffs know that in 1954, Thurmond was the first and only US Senator to be elected by write-in vote.  He went on to serve more than 48 years in the US Senate and marked his 100^th birthday while still in office in December, 2002 –  becoming the oldest person ever to serve in the US Senate.  David Wilkins was chairman of Thurmond's final run for office in 1996.  Thurmond died in June 2003.  

But back to the present:  Both the Democrats' nominee, Senator Vince Sheheen, and the GOP's candidate, Representative Nikki Haley, graduated from Ambassador Wilkins' beloved alma mater and were visiting Tiger Country last week to discuss higher education and economic development with members of the Upstate Alliance at Clemson's world-class International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) facility.  (CU-ICAR brings together the best brains in the business, academia and government organizations to collaborate on and advance the most cutting-edge automotive science and technology.) 

While Wilkins introduced Haley to the crowd, he proudly noted that besides their Clemson creds, both Haley and Sheheen cut their political teeth in the South Carolina House of Representatives with then-Speaker of the House David Wilkins. 

Lumbering Toward Labor Day

Here at Team Wilkins, we're fired up about the upcoming three-day holiday weekend.  While Labor Day weekend has come to denote the traditional end of summer, it also signifies the start of the NFL and college football seasons (and the annual ruthless competition between the South Carolina Gamecock fans on our team and the lone Clemson fan you already know all about.)   

It also begins a very busy season for us with the Ambassador revving up his travel schedule again.  And Canada, he's coming your way!  Over the next couple of months, look for Ambassador Wilkins in Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Ottawa and additional points north.

We'll keep you posted.  We promise.