Kroger said yesterday that it has hired John Boehner – the former Congressman from Ohio who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015 – to help its lobbying effort aimed at federal approval of its proposed $24.6 billion acquisition of Albertsons.
The Hill reports that “Boehner, who works for law and lobbying firm Squire Patton Boggs, will ‘provide strategic counsel’ to Kroger executives and won’t register to lobby.”
Boehner may have some work ahead of him. The Hill notes that “unions representing more than 100,000 Kroger and Albertsons workers are rallying against the merger, arguing that it would lead to job losses and price hikes.
“Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), the top lawmakers on the Senate’s antitrust panel, grilled the CEOs of Kroger and Albertsons in November, expressing doubts about the companies’ promises to keep jobs intact and lower prices.”
And, “The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which is led by Lina Khan, a fierce opponent of corporate consolidation, is reviewing the merger and is widely expected to sue to block it.”
KC’s View:
I wonder if Boehner gets a special bonus in the form of a couple of cases of merlot if the deal ands up being approved.
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