WELD ON LEAVE FOR CAMPAIGN
Lobbying firm shuffles client assignments
William F. Weld’s lobbying firm has placed the Libertarian vice presidential candidate and former Bay State governor on unpaid leave, and has already informed clients, the head of ML Strategies said.
“It really is going to have no real impact on client service,” said Stephen Tocco, president and chief executive of ML Strategies. “We’ve met with most of them and they’re fine.”
Weld has been connected to lobbying work done for General Electric and Wynn Resorts, but Tocco said Weld was not the lead on those accounts, and his role can be covered by either himself or Mo Cowan, chief operating officer of ML Strategies.
“We basically have a team, there was always a team working on these clients,” said Tocco, who served in Weld’s administration. “Most of them were actually being managed by others.”
Other ML Strategies clients include Boston University and eBay.
Weld, who registered as a lobbyist in 2014, was paid $172,000 for lobbying work last year, according to state records.
The former Republican governor formally joined former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson on the Libertarian ticket after narrowly winning a majority to secure the vice presidential nomination at the party convention last weekend. Weld had already been attacking GOP presumptive nominee Donald Trump, and his move is seen as part of the broader GOP establishment’s dismay with the brash billionaire.
Johnson has said Weld will be a visible presence on the campaign trail. Johnson has also praised Weld for his campaign and fundraising prowess.
But Weld got a mixed reception during his first address at the convention, including heckling and boos. Weld has been criticized for joining the Libertarian party only recently and proposing ideas that run counter to the party platform. Johnson is targeting the presidential debates, and has said it is unlikely he will make the cutoff without Weld as a running mate.
Gov. Charlie Baker, who has said Weld is a mentor to him, has said he does not plan to vote for president this election, adding the Libertarian platform does not appeal to him.