SKDK

SKDK (formerly SKDKnickerbocker)[1] is a public affairs and political consulting firm that specializes in working for Democratic Party politicians. It has offices in Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, California, and Albany, New York.[2] The firm employs notable figures like former Obama White House Communications Director Anita Dunn, and Hilary Rosen.[3][4]

SKDK
TypePrivate
IndustryPublic affairs, political consulting
Founded2004
FounderBob Squier
William Knapp
Websiteskdknick.com

History

The firm was formed in 2004 through the merger of Squier Knapp Dunn Communications and Knickerbocker Consulting. They formalized the merger in 2010, taking the name SKDKnickerbocker.[5]

SKDK's political clients have included Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as well as the campaigns of Michael Bloomberg, Mark Kelly, Ned Lamont, Wes Moore, Laura Kelly, Debbie Dingell, Joe Donnelly, Gary Peters, Michael Bennet, Josh Gottheimer, Seth Moulton, Joseph Morelle, Sara Jacobs, and Christine Quinn.[6][7][8][9] The firm has also worked for several women's rights advocates including Planned Parenthood,[10] lawyer and activist Sandra Fluke,[11] the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund.[12]

In 2011 SKDK was hired by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to lead the public campaign to build support for the state's legalization of gay marriage.[13] In 2014 SKDK lead the communications war room for the Human Rights Council during two landmark Supreme Court decisions affirming the right to marriage for gay couples.[14]

In 2014 SKDK Partner Jill Zuckman led the pro-bono public relations campaign that led to the Cuban government releasing American political prisoner Alan Gross. The release led to an improvement in U.S.-Cuba relations.[15]

In October 2015 the firm was acquired by The Stagwell Group, of which Mark Penn is the principal, for an estimated $75 million.[16][17]

In 2018 SKDK Partner Hilary Rosen co-founded the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund.[18] The firm also represented Christine Blasey Ford during the Senate confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.[19]

In February 2020 the firm acquired Sloane & Co. from MDC Partners. Sloane & Co. operates as an independent unit of SKDK that offers services including mergers and acquisitions support, shareholder activism and governance, regulatory issues, investor relations, restructuring and media campaigns.[20] In May 2023, the firm acquired Jasper Advisors, which also operates as an independent unit of SKDK, focused on clients in business and sports.[21]

On 11 March 2023, Politico reported that TikTok hired SKDK for communications support amidst the app facing legal challenges in Washington, D.C., and a possible federal ban.[22]

Political consulting and communications

SKDK provides political consulting services to political candidates, campaigns, and issue advocacy groups.[23] SKDK describes itself as a full-service public affairs practice that offers crisis communications, branding, marketing, media training, digital/social media advice, speech writing, and message development.[24]

Ben White of Politico wrote in an April 2014 email blast that an unnamed senior Democrat said that "It's an open secret in the Dem consultant community that SKD has been signing up clients based on 'perceived White House access' tied to prior relationships and employment."[4][25] Conservative website National Review Online noted that Rosen's name appears frequently on the White House visitor log.[26] However, the firm does not meet the standard, legal definition of lobbying[27] and is not registered to lobby the federal government.[28] SKDK was embroiled in controversy when it received a $35 million no-bid contract for voter turnout-out work in California.

References
  1. "Harris's Senate Seat Up in Air With Top Pick Ensnared in Ad Feud". Bloomberg. 2020-12-21. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  2. SKDKnickerbocker. "About Us". Archived from the original on 2014-03-24.
  3. Weinger, Mackenzie (April 12, 2012). "10 things about Hilary Rosen". Politico.
  4. Fang, Lee (April 13, 2012). "The Real Hilary Rosen Scandal". The Nation.
  5. Haberman, Maggie (April 12, 2010). "Knickerbocker Consulting firm to become SKDKnickerbocker". New York Post.
  6. "Russian state hackers suspected in targeting Biden campaign firm, sources say". CNBC. 2020-09-10. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  7. Sommer, Will (2017-03-06). "Senate Majority PAC names Schumer ally as new leader". The Hill. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  8. "Vendor/Recipient Profile: SKDKnickerbocker". OpenSecrets.
  9. "SKDK Celebrates Historic Wins in 2022 Midterms, Supports Democratic Candidates". SKDK. 2022-11-14. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  10. Haberkorn, Jennifer; Palmer, Anna. "Planned Parenthood taps crisis communications firm". Politico. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  11. "Bill O'Reilly: Who is running Sandra Fluke?". Fox News. 2015-03-24. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  12. "Public Affairs Agencies of the Year". www.provokemedia.com. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  13. Lewis, Rebecca C. (June 23, 2019). "How New York almost didn't legalize same-sex marriage". City & State New York. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  14. Haberman, Maggie (February 4, 2014). "Gay-marriage backers start campaign". Politico. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  15. Sands, Darren (December 17, 2014). "Democratic Public Relations Firm SKDK Helped American Freed By Cuba". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  16. Gelles, David (October 8, 2015). "Mark Penn's Stagwell Group Will Acquire SKDKnickerbocker". The New York Times.
  17. Pace, Richard D (8 Oct 2015). "SKD Knickerbocker Sells To Stagwell Group For Up To $75 Million Dollars". EverythingPR.
  18. Melas, Chloe (January 2019). "Voices behind Time's Up". CNN. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  19. Kaufman, Amy (October 10, 2018). "As new CEO takes the reins, Time's Up leaders look to Christine Blasey Ford for inspiration". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  20. "SKDKnickerbocker Acquires Sloane & Co". O'Dwyers PR. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  21. "SKDKnickerbocker Acquires Sloane & Co". Axios. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  22. Lippman, Daniel (9 March 2023). "TikTok hires Biden-connected firm as it finds itself under D.C.'s microscope". Politico. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  23. "SKDKnickerbocker Political Consulting". SKDKnickerbocker.
  24. "SKDKnickerbocker Strategic Communications". SKDKnickerbocker.
  25. Morrissey, Ed (April 13, 2012). "Awww: Rosen declines spot on Meet the Press". Hot Air.
  26. Geraghty, Jim (April 12, 2012). "Hilary Rosen, Frequent White House Visitor". National Review Online.
  27. Fang, Lee (April 13, 2012). "The Real Hilary Rosen Scandal". Republic Report.
  28. SKDKnickerbocker, Open Secrets.
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