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Former Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, about to be termed out of the legislative high life, will join Mercury Public Affairs, LLC, as partner and co-chair. The Los Angeles Democrat will be a colleague in the California office with Steve Schmidt, the architect of Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's reelection campaign, and Adam Mendelsohn, the governor's former communications director and deputy chief of staff. Shane Goldmacher at Capitol Alert has the news.
* Added after the jump: Mercury's press release.
SACRAMENTO – Mercury Public Affairs announced today the addition of former California Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez as Partner to the firm’s California operations. Nuñez, one of the country’s most dynamic Democratic leaders, will join the firm’s Sacramento office and provide counsel to clients across a broad range of sectors, including entertainment, energy, healthcare and communications.
“It is an honor to welcome Fabian Núñez to Mercury Public Affairs,” said Steve Schmidt, Partner of Mercury Public Affairs and head of the firm’s California operations. “His tenure as the longest serving Assembly Speaker since Willie Brown demonstrates that he is a leader who is respected on both sides of the aisle. We welcome the contributions that we know he will bring to the firm and our clients.”
During his legislative tenure, Núñez championed legislation related to environmental protection, minimum wage and employment laws, healthcare, infrastructure investments, educational reform and housing accessibility. In 2006, he authored AB 32, landmark legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Leaders of the World Economic Summit invited Núñez to Davos, Switzerland to discuss AB 32, and this pioneering approach to climate change has become a blueprint for other U.S. states and Congress in addressing greenhouse gas challenges.
With a unique ability to lead and find bi-partisan solutions to complex public policy challenges, Núñez was named “Legislator of the Year” in 2007 by Governing Magazine. Prior to joining the legislature, Núñez served as government affairs director for the Los Angeles Unified School District, and as political director for the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.
“Serving the people of California as a legislator and leader of the Assembly has been a privilege for which I will be forever grateful,” said Fabian Núñez. “I am eager to start this next chapter of my professional life, providing advice and counsel to organizations and individuals as they seek public policy solutions that will advance our nation’s economy, environment, and social and educational institutions.”
At Mercury Public Affairs, Núñez joins a bi-partisan team of leading public affairs strategists who specialize in designing and executing winning public policy campaigns. With major operations in California, New York and Washington, DC, and with professionals located in state capitols and major media markets throughout the country, Mercury’s bi-partisan team includes public affairs leaders such as Schmidt, former Congressman Max Sandlin (D-TX), former Senator Jim Talent (R-MO), former Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Schwarzenegger (R-CA) Adam Mendelsohn, and New York City Democratic leader and mayoral candidate Fernando Ferrer.
“Fabian Núñez is recognized as one of the country’s finest public servants,” said Fernando Ferrer, Co-Chairman of the New York government relations arm of Mercury Public Affairs. “He is also a brilliant strategist who possesses an innate understanding of the political processes and public perceptions that affect public policy in California and nationally. As his friend and now as his colleague, I am thrilled to welcome Fabian to our team.”
Mercury Public Affairs has enjoyed a stellar 2008 on the public policy front, serving as the lead strategist and co-manager on the successful campaign to pass Proposition 11, an initiative to achieve redistricting in California, which had been defeated five times previously. Mercury also played an integral role in Kevin Johnson’s winning campaign for Mayor of Sacramento, achieving a 16 point margin of victory over the incumbent.
Mercury Public Affairs is a premier, bi-partisan, full-service public affairs consultancy that counsels leading global Fortune 500 corporations, non-profit organizations, and trade and advocacy coalitions, offering a sophisticated suite of services that includes campaign management, strategic communications, grassroots outreach, litigation and crisis communications, advocacy advertising, and state and federal government affairs. Mercury Public Affairs includes the Crosslink Strategy Group, a grassroots outreach team, and IGR Group, the firm’s state, federal and global government relations arm. Mercury Public Affairs is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC), a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.