Kate Ackley
Kate Ackley is a lobbying reporter and editor for Roll Call. For more than a decade, she has covered the K Street industry and the relationship between Congress and those seeking to influence it. She is an expert on the lobbying job market, the revolving door between Capitol Hill and the private sector, the culture of K Street and on Washington, D.C.’s business community including its lobbying associations, lobbying firms, unions and corporate offices.
Before joining Roll Call in January 2005, Ackley was news editor at Influence and Legal Times. She has held reporting internships with the Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest magazine and the Fort Collins Coloradoan.
A Denver native, Ackley graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
She has appeared on CSPAN, including in a documentary about a Congressional Delegation trip in 2008 to Colombia, and on XM Satellite Radio and various other programs around the country.
Planned Parenthood Dramatically Ups Lobby Tab
April 21, 2011Planned Parenthood’s federal lobbying bill more than tripled in the first three months of the new Congress, as Republicans targeted the group for funding cuts and transformed it into a political cause célébre.
K Street Firms Post Mixed Revenue; Chamber Spending Plunges
April 20, 2011The new Congress made for a tepid start to the year for some of the city’s largest lobbying firms, while other big shops reported increases to their bottom lines during the first quarter.
Boehner Aide Exiting for K Street
April 18, 2011Jay Cranford, a policy aide to Speaker John Boehner, is leaving the Hill to join the lobby shop Clark Lytle & Geduldig as a partner in May.
Panama Tops List of Upcoming Trade Fights
April 15, 2011A long-stalled free-trade agreement with Panama got a huge boost last week, business lobbyists pushing for the pact said. And as Congress begins a two-week recess, K Street plans to step up its grass-roots and inside-the-Beltway campaigns to urge Congressional approval of the Panama deal and two other agreements.
K Street Files: Lobby Firms Stock Staff Who Know Finance
April 13, 2011With Wall Street reform still a hot topic on Capitol Hill, former Hill staffers with finance backgrounds are being snapped up by K Street.
K Street Files: Weldon Gets to Libya but Fails to Meet Gadhafi
April 12, 2011It was odd enough when former Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) turned up in Tripoli last week, where he datelined an opinion piece for the New York Times saying he was there to persuade Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to step aside. Perhaps stranger still is who paid the former Congressman’s way.
Stupak’s New Firm Represents Planned Parenthood
April 11, 2011Just hours after announcing his move to K Street, former Rep. Bart Stupak is already getting some attention for an existing client of his new firm.
Bart Stupak Moves to K Street, Joins Venable
April 11, 2011Former Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) is heading to K Street. The nine-term Member will be a partner in the legislative and government affairs group of Venable, the firm announced Monday.
Street Talk: Another Haley Barbour Hunkers Down on K Street
April 8, 2011Haley Barbour exited the lobbying world years ago for the glamour of electoral politics, but he still has blood on K Street.
No Prison Time for Abramoff Figure Albaugh
April 7, 2011A former Congressional staffer embroiled in the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal will avoid prison time after the judge in the case questioned why Members of Congress have mostly stayed off the hook in the Justice Department’s probe, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
Lobbyists Get Busier as Shutdown Looms
April 6, 2011A federal government shutdown would close some of Washington, D.C.’s most popular attractions and important outposts, but the influence industry won’t even slow down.
K Street Files: Half-Price Lobby Coupon a Bit Foolish
April 1, 2011Why pay $50,000 a month for “high-level” lobbying services from Quinn Gillespie & Associates when you can score a half-priced deal through Groupon?
Short-Time Chief Steps Down at Community Pharmacists Group
April 1, 2011Kathleen Jaeger was tapped just five months ago to lead the National Community Pharmacists Association, but the organization announced Friday that she has resigned to “pursue other opportunities.”
Take Them Out to the Ballgame
March 30, 2011Two Members of Congress are hoping to score at the Washington Nationals Opening Day game against the Atlanta Braves this afternoon. But don’t expect them to root for the D.C. home team.
K Street Files: Sprint Plan to Fight Merger Not Yet Clear
March 29, 2011Not surprisingly, Sprint announced this week that it would wage a fierce lobbying battle on Capitol Hill against AT&T;’s proposed $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile.
Street Talk: K Street Firms Adjust to Keep Moms
March 27, 2011Between breakfast and dinner fundraisers, client conference calls and Hill meetings, most lobbyists say some days it can be impossible to squeeze in any personal time. But lobbyists such as Sara van Geertruyden have negotiated deals, or even started their own ventures, to find more time to spend with their kids while staying on a high-level career track.
Senators Stake Out Libya Positions Ahead of Obama’s Address
March 27, 2011As the White House pushed its case for military intervention in Libya a day before the president plans to address the nation, some of Capitol Hill’s biggest voices on the subject took to the airwaves Sunday to buoy their own positions.
Gingrich Hopes to Soon Run Presidential Campaign
March 27, 2011Newt Gingrich will almost certainly be running officially for president within a month, the former Speaker said Sunday.
Earmark Ban Changes Spring Season for Lobbying Firms
March 26, 2011Appropriations lobbyists used to have one certainty this time of year: forms to fill out. Piles and piles of forms requesting Congressional earmarks.
Hampton Case a Reminder of ‘Revolving Door’ Crimes
March 25, 2011Ethics experts suggest former Senate aide Doug Hampton’s indictment last week over allegations that he violated Congressional “revolving door” rules will serve as a stark reminder on Capitol Hill and K Street that lobbying rules carry real penalties.
Top Hill Staff Have Consultants Helping Raise Money
March 24, 2011Senate chiefs of staff this week are soliciting K Street for their annual spring fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Only problem is: Some of the chiefs aren’t making the ask themselves — a move that has discouraged many lobbyists from giving.
Kevin Ring Faces Another Trial
March 22, 2011Kevin Ring, a former colleague of ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, will face a third trial related to a public corruption scandal, this time on charges that he lied to investigators hired by his former lobbying firm.
Lobbyists Tanner, Pheto, and Battle Start New Jobs
March 21, 2011Ex-Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.) announced in January that he was joining the Washington, D.C., lobbying firm Prime Policy Group as vice chairman. Now he also is signing on with the Nashville, Tenn.-based law firm Miller & Martin as counsel.
Retiring Members Still Seek Donations
March 14, 2011Sens. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) might be retiring from Congress, but so far they aren’t taking a break from fundraising.
K Street Files: Longtime Hill Staffer Transported to K Street
March 11, 2011After spending nearly three decades as a Congressional aide, Rusty Roberts is making the jump to K Street. On Friday, he left his job as chief of staff to Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), and today he starts a new gig as managing director of the transportation practice at BGR Government Affairs.