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The Hill House Food is the center of everything that is good. I remember having lunch with Coretta Scott King, Juanita Abernathy, Dr. Dorothy Height, Ambassador Andrew Young, his wife Carolyn and some others. They were talking about their struggles in the Civil Rights movement and I noticed as they recalled all of the major events they participated in, there was a special meal they would think back to, even to the point when Mrs. King said to Mrs. Abernathy, “Juanita, do you remember the last time we had coconut ice cream?” From there, they went on to talk about a historic event that followed. In Washington, there is a lot of activity around food. But often, the event is far from special, just another catered, mildly-cold meal in a sterile setting. Since we do a lot of events for just abou ...

SPHERE ADDS FORMER POMPEO AIDE: Sphere Consulting, the public affairs firm founded by Jim Courtovich, is adding Patrick Fleming as a vice president. Fleming was previously a senior policy adviser to former Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) and also worked as director of transition after President Donald Trump nominated Pompeo to lead the CIA. Fleming is also a former aide to Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), who chairs the Freedom Caucus. He’ll be working on transportation, financial services, aerospace and defense issues, according to the firm, in addition to some international work. Mahmood Abu-Rubieh, a recent George Washington University graduate, is also joining Sphere as an associate.

SPHERE ADDS FORMER POMPEO AIDE: Sphere Consulting, the public affairs firm founded by Jim Courtovich, is adding Patrick Fleming as a vice president. Fleming was previously a senior policy adviser to former Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) and also worked as director of transition after President Donald Trump nominated Pompeo to lead the CIA. Fleming is also a former aide to Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), who chairs the Freedom Caucus. He’ll be working on transportation, financial services, aerospace and defense issues, according to the firm, in addition to some international work. Mahmood Abu-Rubieh, a recent George Washington University graduate, is also joining Sphere as an associate.

With an Eye Toward Job Creation, Entrepreneurs Get a Lobbyist of Their Own JULY 24, 2017 Inc. Magazine ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE NEWS By Leigh Buchanan If John Dearie had doubts how to mark the launch of his entrepreneurship advocacy organization, they were dispelled on June 10. That day the Trump administration announced the delay and probable demise of the so-called startup visa rule, which would have helped foreign founders build businesses here. Dearie, founder and president of the nonprofit Center for American Entrepreneurship, will spend today–his organization’s formal kickoff–meeting with members of Congress to explain why axing the rule is a bad idea. A 2011 study found that immigrants to the United States or their children started 40% of the nation’s largest companies Dearie points ...

It’s a week of foreign visitors and visits, as three (almost) heads of state visit the White House and President Trump prepares for his first overseas trip. Expect the Comey Incident to continue to draw attention. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said last week he would brief the full Senate on his role – or lack thereof – in the firing, at a date to be determined. On Monday, Crown Prince Muhammad bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan of Abu Dhabi visits the White House. President Trump on Tuesday welcomes to the White House the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom Trump called last month following the passage of a referendum that greatly expanded Erdogan’s powers and which was strongly opposed in the human rights community. On the heels of the White House meeting, the Middle East Institu ...