Jon Kyl is returning to his old lobbying firm a week after leaving a short-term Senate stint, bringing fresh ties to lawmakers for private sector clients seeking to navigate the Senate.
Kyl, 76, previously worked at Covington from 2013-18 after serving in the Senate for 18 years and 26 overall in Congress. His financial disclosure form, filed on Jan. 3., said he earned about $1.9 million in total salary from Covington in 2017 and 2018. His lobbying clients at the firm included PhRMA and Qualcomm.
Covington & Burling LLP announced Monday that Kyl will focus on “matters of policy and strategy” at the firm, said Timothy Hester, Covington’s chairman. “Given his profile and depth of experience in Washington, we expect he can make important contributions in a range of matters, particularly for clients in the technology, life sciences and defense sectors who may face numerous policy challenges in Congress and the executive branch.”
Kyl’s short-term return to the Hill provided him fresh access to senators and House members with whom he did not previously serve in Congress, in addition to swaths of veteran lawmakers. About 45 senators started their service there after Kyl departed the first time, and around 35 were still there during his temporary appointment late last year.
After Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., died in August, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey appointed Kyl to fill the seat temporarily. Kyl served for a bit under four months and left office on Dec. 31.
In 2018, Kyl collected his private sector salary while working outside the Senate as a “sherpa” for the Trump White House to help with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Once in the Senate again, Kyl voted in favor of Kavanaugh’s nomination, which passed 50-48, with one senator voting present.
