Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough

Weekly Washington Wrap 

• President Obama announced a regulatory reform effort on Tuesday that seemed to be another step towards a more business-friendly governing style.  Pundits in Washington attribute the president’s shift to his 2012 reelection campaign.  The Executive Order and two memorandums that spell out how regulatory agencies can minimize red tape follow last week’s appointment of Bill Daley as White House Chief of Staff.  Business leaders and Republicans on Capitol Hill are pleased with the president’s regulatory reform announcement, but expressed some skepticism given government’s recent regulatory actions which include the FCC’s net neutrality rules, EPA greenhouse gas restrictions, and regulations implementing the Dodd-Frank financial reform law and the new health care law.

 

• Two Senators announced their retirement this week, with Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) deciding not to run for reelection in 2012.  Although the election is two years away, the North Dakota seat is looked at by Republicans as a pickup which could bode well for their effort to gain four seats in order to win control of the Senate.  Senator Lieberman’s seat is likely to stay Democratic (Lieberman caucused with the Democrats).

 

• Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted to repeal the new health care law.  Three Democrats joined the new Republican majority in the 245-189 vote for repeal.  The vote was largely symbolic because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is not expected to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

 

Thinking Globally

Team Wilkins spent the first part of this week at our Washington D.C., office where we strategized with our new and very impressive partners, Global Public Affairs.

President and CEO Randy Pettipas, Senior Vice President Genevieve Young and Director of Natural Resources and Environment Kristin Anderson  traveled from their offices in Calgary and Ottawa to meet with our team and discuss various ways we can work together  in mutual efforts to enhance the US-Canada bilateral relationship.

Global Public Affairs is Canada's largest privately-owned government relations firm with offices throughout Canada including Ottawa, Toronto and Calgary.     

Late last year it was announced that David Wilkins, who heads Nelson Mullins Public Policy and International Law practice, would serve as a senior advisor to Global Public Affairs.  Team Wilkins is looking forward in the next couple of months to traveling up to Calgary where we will officially celebrate our new partnership. 

And speaking of Calgary, it was great to see our friend Gary Mar who serves as Alberta's representative in Washington, D.C.

Ambassador Wilkins also welcomed his friend Jimmy Gibbs of Gibbs International to Washington, D.C., who was in town for a number of important business meetings. 

Saluting Statesmen  

As usual, David Wilkins was on the run this week.  After a few days in Washington, Wilkins caught an early flight home Wednesday to Greenville, SC and then he and Susan Wilkins hit the road for Columbia – our state's capital city – where our brand new governor, Nikki Haley, delivered her very first state of the state address.

Haley outlined her vision for South Carolina yesterday evening from the rostrum in the majestic state House of Representatives chamber – the same podium from which Wilkins presided as speaker of the House for 11 years before leaving for Canada. 

The new governor began her remarks with a most noble tradition - naming the brave South Carolinians who made the ultimate sacrifice in freedom's name over the past year.  She also paid special tribute to a woman who, like the governor herself, recently made state history books, and to the head of her government's transition team. 

Here's an excerpt from the governor's remarks: 

"Before we move on, there is one individual with us tonight who played an important role in the mobilization and support of some of the soldiers I just mentioned and many others who protect our state and country. 

And as of this past month, she has been promoted to the rank of brigadier general, the first female general in the history of the South Carolina National Guard.  I ask you to join me in acknowledging the service of a great South Carolinian, and a great friend, Brig. Gen. Marie Goff.

I’d also like to thank our former speaker, and our nation’s ambassador, David Wilkins, for agreeing to chair my transition team. Ambassador, what a pleasure to work with you again, and what service you have provided to South Carolina. You truly are a statesman."

After the big speech, the Wilkinses were privileged to attend a private reception at the governor's mansion. 

The Wilkins Way

Another Wilkins was in the news this week.  Walt Wilkins, who is the ambassador's nephew and the son of former Judge Billy Wilkins, was sworn-in yesterday as the new solicitor for South Carolina's 13^th Judicial Circuit – the chief prosecutor for Greenville and Pickens counties. 

Although Walt has been on the job officially a week now, ice and snow stood between him and his swearing-in ceremony last week. 

Here's more from a report Tuesday in the Anderson Independent Mail: 

"Wilkins served as U.S. attorney for the South Carolina district for a year and a half before announcing his candidacy for the 13th Judicial Circuit solicitor in January 2010. He ran unopposed in the primary and general election…

Among the cases he handled as a federal prosecutor were a high-profile human-trafficking case, one of the largest mortgage fraud cases in the district and a large-scale gambling operation…

His father, Greenville attorney Billy Wilkins, held the solicitor’s seat before becoming chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth District. His uncle, David Wilkins, is a Greenville attorney who served 11 years as South Carolina speaker of the House and three and a half years as ambassador to Canada."