Hadassah Lieberman: Fact Sheet

Lieberman’s wife, Hadassah, was employed by Hill and Knowlton, a Washington, DC lobbying firm while the company was registered to lobby the U.S. Senate. While employing Hadassah Lieberman, the lobbying firm’s client list included many major companies such as MCI, Fidelity Investments, Hewlett Packard and Boeing. The firm was also registered to lobby for Tyco International, which has been criticized in the press for its corporate expatriate tax status.

It is of note that Hadassah Lieberman previously worked for Pfizer and still benefits from a large amount of stockholdings in the company.

KEY ISSUES

• Hadassah Lieberman was employed by Hill and Knowlton while the company was registered to lobby the Senate. Although Lieberman herself was not registered as a lobbyist of the Senate, the company was registered to lobby on behalf of major companies such as Tyco International, Fidelity Investments, Guilford Pharmaceuticals, MCI, Bausch & Lomb, Hewlett Packard and Boeing. (Senate Office of Public Records)

• Hadassah Lieberman owns significant stock in drug company Pfizer. Joe Lieberman’s most current financial disclosure indicated that his wife owned between $15,001 and $50,000 in Pfizer stock. During Lieberman’s 2000 presidential campaign, the Lieberman’s revealed that the stock holdings in Pfizer were equivalent to 1,000 shares. (Secretary of the Senate)

• Hadassah Lieberman previously worked for Pfizer. According to a statement released by Hill and Knowlton upon her joining the firm, Lieberman had extensive experience in the health care field, including a stint at pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. (Washington Post, 3/17/05)

Press Coverage of Hadassah Lieberman’s Lobbying Efforts

Hadassah Lieberman did not do any lobbying for APCO Associates during her tenure there. “She was straightforward, honest and very strategic in her thinking,” said B.J. Cooper of APCO Worldwide. “She did not do any lobbying. That was not her role here,” he said. (New York Post, 8/8/00)

During the 2000 presidential campaign Hadassah owned 1,000 shares of Pfizer, Inc. stock, valued at $15,000 to $50,000. According to Lieberman’s spokesman, the stockers were “hers alone.” (American Health Line, 9/27/00)

Hadassah Lieberman earned more than $300,000 delivering speeches in 2001. Hadassah emerged from the 2000 election as a popular speaker on the Jewish lecture circuit, pulling in about 328,000 in 2001, according to her husband's annual financial disclosure forms. Some observers questioned the appropriateness of a senator's spouse speaking for money, especially one whose fame stemmed primarily from the political fortunes of her husband. “Unless it can really be shown that there is a reason that an individual is being paid for her expertise, then it does look like she is getting paid as a substitute for his speaking,” said Larry Nobel, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics. “In perspective, I think it falls in a category of ongoing issues that arise having to do with the proper role of spouses and whether someone is trading off of a spouse's influence. It's not the most critical thing in the world, but it is a constant problem that comes up.” (Jewish Forward, 5/24/02)

Hadassah Lieberman joined Washington public relations firm Hill and Knowlton as a senior counselor in the health and pharmaceutical practice in March, 2005. Lieberman hoped “to draw on her political experience in concentrating on health care policy and public health initiatives.” (Roll Call, 3/16/05)

According to a statement released by Hill and Knowlton, Hadassah Lieberman had extensive experience in the health care field including stints at Hospital of St. Raphael in New Haven, Pfizer Inc. and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. (Washington Post, 3/17/05)

As of July 23, 2006, Hadassah Lieberman was no longer working at Hill and Knowlton. (Hartford Courant, 7/23/06)

Hill and Knowlton Senate Lobbying Clients in 2005-2006

Fidelity Investments Inc

Port Of Tampa Maritime Industries Assn

Biotechnology Industry Organization

Nielsen Media Research Inc

Fulbright & Jaworski Llp

Nasscom - National Association of Software and Services Companies

Dallas Independent School District

Denic Eg

Benjamin Moore & Co

Hewlett Packard

Guilford Pharmaceuticals

Boeing

Future of Russia Foundation

Steptoe & Johnson

Ogilvy & Mather

Tyco Intl Us Inc

Triple Canopy

Healthtech

Mci

Dubai International Capital Llc

Bausch & Lomb