For the numerologists among you - and you know who you are - the past few months have presented The Raben Group with fun portents. We've been joined by three extraordinary women (Suzanne Stoll, Julie Fernandes, Melody Barnes) who have swelled the ranks of our three bustling offices (downtown Washington, Capitol Hill, Los Angeles) to 25 employees (five minus two equals three). Sadly, that's all the numerology we know, but we're open to further evidence that we're on the brink of either great success or total doom. For now - a brief update on the many developments at TRG, and a hearty Happy June!

About Us
Led by former Assistant Attorney General Robert Raben, The Raben Group combines "Inside the Beltway" experience, insight and access with outside-the-box thinking for clients in the corporate, public and governmental sectors. Our clients take advantage of a tailored suite of services including policy development, direct lobbying, coalition building, grasstops campaigns, political counsel and strategic communications. In each of our practice areas, our professionals apply their deep roots in the policy, political, advocacy and media worlds to identify your real challenges and develop effective strategies to achieve your goals. And we always keep our sense of humor.

In the News
Our staff has occasionally been known to speak to reporters, and/or be mentioned by them. To view Courtney Snowden's profile on the cover of Metro Weekly, or read about influential Hispanic lobbyists (including TRG's Larry Gonzalez and Estuardo Rodriguez), or see Robert mentioned as a potential Democratic appointee, indulge our egos and click here >

New Client File
We've been grateful to expand our family of clients in the corporate, non-profit and governmental sectors over the past few months. A few of our new colleagues:

On the corporate front, Mastercard has asked us to develop a federal legislative and engagement strategy for a coalition of banks, credit cards and credit unions to oppose a price control bill.  CUNA Mutual retained our assistance in crafting a legislative strategy on a proposed Federal Reserve Board change to Regulation Z, involving “truth in lending.” Property Casualty Insurers Association of America have also hired us - we'll let you know what for as soon as we know.

In the non-profit world, we were retained by the Violence Policy Center and Legal Community Against Violence to coordinate messaging and media outreach around the U.S. Supreme Court’s consideration of District of Columbia v. Heller, the Second Amendment challenge to the District’s handgun ban.  The Partnership for Quality Care, a labor-management health care coalition led by SEIU and Kaiser Permanente that represents more than 50 million health care workers, hired us to promote their Washington summit on chronic care to the media.  The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence has asked us to coordinate their legislative strategy to reauthorize the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act.

We also helped Appleseed conduct a congressional briefing and media rollout on their report on the problems that arise when state and local authorities enforce federal civil immigration laws.  Check the terrific report out here.

The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (or NALEO, as they are known among friends) has again hired us to help conduct media outreach for their 25th Annual Conference and Presidential Candidate Forum in Washington, D.C. from June 25 – 28.

The Raben Group Welcomes Suzanne Stoll,

Julie Fernandes, and Melody Barnes
We're delighted to announce the arrival of three of Washington's most talented advocates to our staff. Suzanne Stoll has joined the firm as our Head of People/Chief Operating Officer, where she guides firm strategy, keeps our trains running on time and is, against the odds, an unfailingly cheerful conductor of our affairs. Suzanne joins us after a long history on Capitol Hill, where she was chief of staff to three successive members of Congress from the same district (Florida 19), culminating in her service to Rep. Robert Wexler. Most recently Suzanne served as the Washington coordinator for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO to the cognoscenti).

We're also honored that Julie Fernandes, one of the nation's leading lights on civil rights, has joined the firm as a principal in our Constitution and Justice and Health and Education practice groups. Julie was most recently senior policy analyst and senior counsel at the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, where she successfully led the community's efforts to reauthorize the Civil Rights Act of 1965. She previously served as a trial attorney and counsel in the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department and as a special assistant to President Bill Clinton at the White House Domestic Policy Council.

And finally, it's a homecoming of sorts for Melody Barnes, who will be of counsel to the firm while retaining her role as Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress. She will also continue to host CAP Action Fund's weekly radio show -- The Progressive Beat with Melody Barnes -- on XM Satellite Radio's P.O.T.U.S. channel. Melody served as Chief Counsel to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee for eight years before joining The Raben Group. The first time around; she toiled here from April 2003 to June 2004.

Click here for full biographies of Suzanne, Julie, Melody and the rest of us.

Our Colleagues, Clients and Friends in Print
Our clients, colleagues and friends continued to appear in the nation's opinion pages on many topics, including the U.S. Supreme Court's consideration of a Second Amendment challenge to the D.C. handgun ban.

Sue Else, president of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, discussed the implications of the Court's decision for domestic abuse.

Former U.S. Attorneys Donald Stern and James Robinson explained the value of strong federal support for tough gun laws.

And Professor Carl Bogus, a leading authority on the history of the Second Amendment, discussed the difficult decision facing the Justices.

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard and Bill Lansford, the president of the Eugene Obregon Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial Foundation, made the case for a Los Angeles memorial to the extraordinary sacrifice of America's Latino war heroes.

Widely Attended: The TRG Policy Breakfast Series
Our policy breakfast series continues to bring together some of the best minds on many topics over bagels at a painfully early hour.

We were honored to host Dr. Rob Shapiro, chief economic advisor to the 1992 Clinton campaign and former Undersecretary of Commerce for Economic Analysis, who discussed his new book Futurecast: How Superpowers, Populations and Globalization Will Affect the Way You Live and Work.

We were also delighted to feature John Trasviña, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and new chair of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, who discussed the recently launched Truth in Immigration project, another in the organization's continuing efforts to fight anti-immigrant ordinances across the country.

The Breast Cancer Fund Wins One for the Little Guy (and Gal)
This March, the Breast Cancer Fund won a key legislative victory that could help millions of children lead healthier lives down the road. We were proud to work by their collective side.

BCF is the only national organization that focuses solely on breast cancer prevention by identifying and eliminating environmental causes of the disease. Last year, the group was instrumental in leading a successful California legislative campaign to ban phthalates, a family of chemicals used to soften plastics that end up in common household items -- including baby toys. Phthalates have been linked to later-life reproductive problems in both girls and boys, including an increased rick of breast cancer.

Sen. Diane Feinstein offered legislation patterned after that California measure as an amendment to the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act. Working with BCF's advocates and coalition partners, we helped educate members of Congress about the dangers of phthalates and the benefits of a ban on these materials in children's toys.

The amendment passed by voice vote on March 6. Next stop: organizing the necessary public support to ensure the amendment survives conference committee. Kudos to BCF!

And Speaking of the Breast Cancer Fund...

Nancy Buermeyer, who leads our team's efforts on behalf of BCF, climbs mountains for her clients. No, seriously.

On June 15-20, BCF will hold its annual Climb Against the Odds, in which 33 men and women will ascend Mt. Shasta, a 14k in northern California, to raise money for the organization. Nancy's set a personal goal of raising $10,000 for the group. Last year, she raised $7,350, but didn't quite make it to the top of Shasta because a VW bus-sized boulder nearly fell on her. In, of course, "Avalanche Gulch."

For a contribution of $100, donors can order a prayer flag bearing the name of a person the donor wants honored or remembered. This year, Nancy will again climb in honor of the memory of her partner, Betsy Gooch, who died of lung cancer in 1987.

Go Nancy! To contribute, click here: www.breastcancerfund.org/climb08/nancyb