Blue Origin hires lobbyist linked to Obama administration

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ space tourism company has hired a lobbyist with ties to former President Barack Obama’s administration after a Democratic congressman proposed a tax that could make traveling to space a little more expensive.

Bezos’ Blue Origin recently hired Mac Campbell from Capitol Counsel to lobby on behalf of the company to “monitor and evaluate proposed changes to the Internal Revenue Code being considered by Congress as part of the budget reconciliation process,” according to a lobbying registration form.

Campbell registered to lobby for the company in October.

Campbell was an assistant U.S. trade representative for congressional affairs while working in Obama’s executive office before moving on to the powerful Senate Finance Committee. His other clients include Lockheed Martin, Las Vegas Sands and Pacific Mutual, according to data from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.

Blue Origin has already spent over $1.3 million on lobbying this year alone. In 2020, the space company invested nearly $2 million trying to influence lawmakers.

Bezos, who has a net worth of over $200 billion according to Forbes, stepped down as Amazon’s CEO earlier this year to focus on other ventures like Blue Origin and the Washington Post, which he owns.

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