"The mining industry is confronted with a very challenging environment," said Kraig Naasz, the new head of the U.S. industry lobby group National Mining Association (NMA). In response to high-profile mining disasters, increased rates of black lung disease, and concerns about climate change, among other issues, the NMA will likely "dramatically increase its lobbying and advertising budget." Its overall budget will increase from $15.6 million for 2007 to $19.7 million for 2008. NMA's two political action committees, CoalPAC and MinePAC, "are moving towards a more even split" between the two major parties, after years of giving nearly 90 percent of its PAC money to Republicans. NMA is also "looking to add a Democratic consultant to its list of outside lobbyists," which includes the Alpine Group and the Nickles Group. NMA is also hiring four more in-house lobbyists and "two additional regulatory experts." Among other bills, NMA opposes the Miller-Rahall bill, which would strengthen safety regulations and "apply royalty fees to hard rock-mining operations" on federal lands.

"Lobbyists for a business group close to the crooked government of Azerbaijan have scheduled what looks to be" a National Press Club event for a front group, according to Harper's Ken Silverstein. The event features members of the "Association for Civil Society Development in Azerbaijan" (ACSDA), and was organized by the lobbying firm Bob Lawrence & Associates. The firm, according to Silverstein, "promotes the interests of President Ilham Aliyev but is paid by a cut-out: Renaissance Associates, a pro-government business group based in Baku, the Azeri capital." ACSDA has conducted polls purporting to show more support for President Aliyev, more political freedom, and less concern with corruption than independent polls have found. ACSDA vice-president Vali Alibayov, who's heading the delegation to the U.S., is also a member of the International Association for Public Relations. A 2006 lobbying report lists defense, foreign relations, oil & gas pipelines, tourism and trade as the issues that Bob Lawrence & Associates lobbied on for Azerbaijan, on behalf of Renaissance Associates.