LegiStorm

A federal lobbyist for local governments is back in Congress staffing a freshman representative.

Zac Commins started this month as a senior legislative assistant to Rep. Harley Rouda (D-Calif.). Commins most recently worked for Townsend Public Affairs, where he registered as a lobbyist on behalf of about 50 city and county governments last year.

Before joining the lobbying shop in 2017, Commins worked for Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.).

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), a registered Democratic Socialist, has hired a staffer from a finance lobby.

Chastity Murphy joins Tlaib's office as a legislative assistant handling finance and taxes, among other legislative issues.

She comes from the National Association of Surety Bond Producers, where she spent the last year and a half. She did not register as a lobbyist during her time at the trade group, although the group does lobby. Before that, Murphy worked for Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio).

A Democratic aide has returned to the Hill with years of lobbying experience under her belt.

Nancy Perry is now a senior policy adviser handling health, retirement and Social Security issues for Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.). She spent the last two years as legislative director to the American Council of Life Insurers. During her tenure there, the trade group awarded Larson, a former insurance broker, with its Financial Security and Life Insurance Caucus Freedom and Dignity Award.

Perry's congressional career spans decades and includes work for ex-Reps. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), Michael Andrews (D-Texas) and James Coyne (R-Pa.).

The House Judiciary Committee has made a new hire from the country's largest LGBT advocacy group.

Jordan Dashow joins Jerry Nadler's (D-N.Y.) committee as a professional staff member. He spent the last three and a half years at the Human Rights Campaign, and previously worked for the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.

As HRC's federal policy manager, Dashow did not register as a lobbyist, though the nonprofit spent north of $1.1 million on federal lobbying last year.

An expert in education policy has found her way to the House Education and Labor Committee.

Katie Berger is now professional staff on Rep. Bobby Scott's (D-Va.) Education and Labor Committee. She comes from Education Trust, an advocacy group focused on policy affecting low-income and non-white students.

Berger worked as a senior policy analyst for higher education but did not register as a lobbyist during her time at the nonprofit. Before that, she spent five years as federal-relations coordinator for the University of Texas System, which she also graduated from.