Amazon hires Biden consultant brother in lobby

  • Days after the presidential election in 2020, Amazon hired a lobbyist whose brother is an adviser to President-elect Joe Biden.
  • Jeff Ricchetti, whose brother Steve Ricchetti serves as a counselor for Biden, was hired as an Amazon lobbyist on Nov. 13, as CNBC first reported.
  • Ricchetti will work at Amazon for issues related to COVID-19 and the CARES Act, according to the lobbying disclosure forms.
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Days after the 2020 presidential election, Amazon hired a lobbyist whose brother is a close adviser to President-elect Joe Biden.

Jeff Ricchetti, whose brother Steve Ricchetti will serve as an adviser to the White House in Biden, was appointed Amazon lobbyist on November 13, as CNBC first reported.

A lobbying registration form filed by Ricchettis’ firm, Ricchetti Incorporated, lists Seattle’s Amazon.com Services LLC as its newest client. Ricchetti signs forms submitted to the House and Senate lobby and database on Dec. 23. The forms do not disclose any payment.

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.

A source told CNBC that the brothers keep their family and professional lives separate.

“Jeff has never and will never pursue his brother on behalf of any of his clients, and Steve has not had a role in his brother’s business since selling his stake in the firm in 2012,” a source told CNBC said.

Steve Ricchetti has been part of Biden’s political sphere for years. He served as second chief of staff while Biden was vice president. When Biden takes over the White House in January, Richetti will be the president, an important right-hand man and sounding board.

According to the forms, Ricchetti will work for Amazon on issues related to COVID-19 and the CARES law.

Amazon’s health ambitions are described as massive. Together with Amazon Pharmacy, launched in most states, it builds Amazon Care, a primary care service for large employers.

Last week’s announcement was the first time Ricchetti’s K Street firm has announced Amazon. But Ricchetti filed two other forms in December, both outlining the lobbying efforts for other health clients.

For Evofem Biosciences, a biopharmaceutical company, Ricchetti is pursuing “federal health policy regarding contraceptive coverage.” According to Vaxart, a vaccine development firm, it’s working on ‘legislative and regulatory policies regarding the development and funding of oral vaccines’.

Amazon has a long list of lobbyists it works with, including its own Amazon.com Services LLC branch office, which ate up $ 4.41 million in third-quarter funding.

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