The first lobbyist to explicitly register on coronavirus-related issues is Jack Burkman — a right-wing trickster and conspiracy theorist known for his attempts to frame Robert Mueller and Pete Buttigieg for sexual assault, and who has recently called for the president to ban coronavirus testing.
Burkman, through his J.M. Burkman and Associates firm, is working on behalf of Florida physician and marijuana industry executive Richard Goulding. Burkman and Ralph Palmieri, another lobbyist at the firm, registered effective Feb. 27 for work on unspecified coronavirus "issues" and "treatments."
Goulding also hired Burkman late last year to lobby on federal funding for autism issues and research, per a separate filing.
Burkman, along with fellow right-wing operative Jacob Wohl, have found themselves in the middle of several controversies, including plots to falsely accuse public figures of sexual assault. The pair has also made headlines for peddling a conspiracy theory related to the death of murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich.
He also espouses unconventional views on the coronavirus pandemic. "President Trump should sign an executive order BANNING Corona Virus testing," Burkman tweeted last week. "We cannot let hypochondriacs shut down the global economy."
