LegiStorm

Jason Samuels is probably hoping his bad luck won't return with him to the Senate.

Sen. Joni Ernst's (R-Iowa) new strategic communications director and speechwriter has been affected by a string of disasters in recent years.

Samuels' bad luck started in 2016, when Hurricane Matthew forced him to postpone his wedding. The next year, his then-boss, retired Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), was fired at during the 2017 congressional baseball-practice shooting. Months later, his sister was present for the Las Vegas music-festival shooting. And, shortly after joining YouTube's communications team in 2018, the California company experienced — you guessed it — a mass shooting.

The entire Senate is, no doubt, praying for Jason's streak to come to a quiet end.

The Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform has added another Republican Hill staffer.

James Locke joins the tort-reform advocacy group as a director for legislative affairs. He had spent the last four years with Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), most recently as legislative counsel.

The move comes just after ILR announced last week that it had hired John Abegg, formerly chief counsel to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, as executive vice president.

A Fortune 100 agricultural company has harvested from the Senate.

Will Stafford joins CHS Inc. as a Washington representative. The Minnesota-based energy, food and grain company spent just shy of $1 million to lobby the federal government on agricultural services and products last year.

Stafford previously worked as a lobbyist for the National Association of Wheat Growers and most recently served as a legislative assistant to Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.). Roberts, who chairs the Agriculture Committee, is retiring at the end of his term.

Rep. Marcia Fudge's (D-Ohio) latest hire comes from a boutique Washington lobbying firm.

Patrick Byrne joins Fudge's office as a legislative assistant covering energy, environment and health issues.

He comes from CJ Lake LLC, where he most recently worked as a government relations associate. There, he lobbied mainly for city and local government groups.

A congressional staffer-turned lobbyist-turned bakery owner is back on the Hill.

Alex De Bianchi has joined Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) as senior legislative assistant handling commerce, consumer protection, telecommunications, transport and infrastructure issues. She comes from the U.S. Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, where she spent the last year and a half as a telecom policy specialist.

She has also worked for Rep. Henry Johnson (D-Ga.), former Rep. Don Payne (D-N.J.) and the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and spent two years as owner and head baker of a small macaron and pastry shop. De Bianchi's background also includes four years as a lobbyist for the Recording Industry Association of America.