A former staffer for Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama has registered to lobby for Ford Motor Co. on trade promotion authority legislation.
Miguel Rodriguez is a partner at the firm Bryan Cave LLP and registered to lobby on TPA amid a contentious fight between Obama and Hill Democrats, who blocked the trade legislation in the House last week. Clinton distanced herself from Obama Sunday, saying he should "listen to and work with his allies in Congress."
Obama is seeking the negotiating authority ahead of a potential Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.
Rodriguez has years of experience with both Obama and Clinton. He came to Clinton's Senate office in 2005 as legislative assistant and counsel, leaving the office when she did in 2009 as legislative director. He worked at the State Department from 2009-11 as deputy assistant secretary during Clinton's tenure as Secretary of State.
Until joining Bryan Cave last year, Rodriguez worked as director of legislative affairs and special assistant to the president at the White House. He has law and bachelor's degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and got his start on the Hill with Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.) in 2004.
