Lobbying & Law

Come Fly Me.

You've got to give it to Blue Star Jets credit, spotting a business opportunity in the new ethics rule banning members of Congress from accepting corporate and lobbyist sponsored travel. Eager to sell its services to lawmakers facing the prospect of flying commercial, Blue Star has retained law firm Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin to help with the marketing blitz it is launching next month.

Blackwell Sanders lawyer Kyle Gilster says that Blue Star, which acts as a broker to arrange flights, is planning a series of lunches in Washington and perhaps a "widely attended" event extolling charter jet travel as a cost effective and hassle-free way for members to get to multiple or hard-to-reach locations on campaign and non-official trips.

With members more concerned than ever about their images, Blue Star PR head Marco Larsen says the company won't focus on the luxury angle (even though it plans to hold the pitch at the swank Mandarin Oriental Hotel's new private club, Tai Pan).

Gilster points out that by paying for the charter service with political action committe funds, members won't have to worry about the perception that they're beholden to corporations and lobbyists. And Blue Star is not lobbying. Gilster adds: "Their interest is free market." Indeed.

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