As Uber Technologies Inc. surges into cities across the globe - sometimes igniting protests from taxi drivers - the app-based ridesharing service continues to poach from Capitol Hill and other high-powered political positions.
Laura Zapata moved this month from working as press secretary for Rep. Joaquín Castro (D-Texas) to become an Uber communications specialist. She started in Congress as a Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) intern in 2010 before serving as press assistant and legislative correspondent for Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
Uber, which started in 2009 and was valued earlier this year at $18 billion, hired its first in-house registered lobbyist, Brian A. Worth, in May from the other side of the aisle. Worth came from Rep. Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) office where he was director of coalitions.
The company has at least four other employees who once worked on the Hill. Dave Barmore was legislative correspondent to Rep. Walt Minnick (D-Idaho) until 2011 and joined Uber as a policy associate in January. Crysten Glawe left the office of Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) in January to become Uber's executive assistant for public policy and corporate communications.
Additionally, Jen Mullin left Sen. Tom Harkin's (D-Iowa) office in 2009 and joined Uber in July as senior communications aide and Colin Tooze started as an Uber public policy specialist in September; he left Rep. Chris Cox's (R-Calif.) office in 2005 where he was legislative assistant.
Uber began its lobbying efforts in 2013 by hiring the Franklin Square Group LLC. The company this year picked up other prominent political figures as well, including former President Barack Obama campaign manager David Plouffe who moved to Uber last month.
