Kroger recently contracted with former House Speaker John Boehner in an effort to win FTC approval for its proposed merger with Albertsons, reports The Hill. The merger was first announced in 2022 and has faced scrutiny by many in the food industry and the legal system.
Boehner, who works for a law and lobbying firm, will provide counsel to Kroger executives, and will not register to lobby. Instead, others in Boehner’s firm, Squire Patton Boggs, will lobby on Kroger’s behalf, including Tommy Andrews and David Schnittger, two former Boehner aides, and Caren Street, former chief of staff to Representative Karen Bass.
The grocery giant is hiring several lobbyists to calm concerns about the $25 billion proposed merger between the two chains.
During a Senate subcommittee hearing in November, Senators Amy Klobuchar and Mike Lee expressed doubts about the companies' promises to keep jobs safe and prices low.
Kroger hopes the merger will be completed by 2024. Full Story
Related: Albertsons, Kroger Proposed Merger Raises Concerns; Regulators Seen Studying Kroger-Albertsons Merger