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Intel Hires Feinstein's Top Aide

Beefing up their policy and advocacy teams, Intel has drafted Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s chief of staff to head its Washington office.

Peter Cleveland will join the California-based technology company as vice president for global public policy and lead the company’s lobbying team, starting Nov. 3.

“Peter Cleveland brings two decades of policy, legislative, regulatory and legal experience to our Washington office,” said Intel senior vice president and general counsel Bruce Sewell. “He’s been involved in the critical policy debates affecting Intel, our industry and our nation – from patent reform and international trade to skilled immigration, tax and energy issues.”

A 17-year Hill veteran, Cleveland has worked for the Democratic senator from California for four years, two as legislative director and two as chief of staff.

And based on his ability to flatter his soon-to-be former and new employers in the same sentence, Cleveland should have no problem navigating K Street. “It’s a terrific opportunity to make the transition from a top notch senator to a first-rate California tech company,” he said.

He’ll be joining a company working to raise its Washington profile.

Since May, Intel has been running an inside-the-Beltway ad campaign, highlighting its $40 billion investment in stateside capital and research and development projects. The company has also been touting the fact that it manufacturers three-fourths of its chips domestically even though it earns 80 percent of its revenue outside the country.

He’ll be joined by Brian Huseman, a former chief of staff to Federal Trade Commission chairman Deborah Majoras, and former Homeland Security staffer Audrey Plonk, who packed her bags for Santa Clara, Calif., to work on international security policy issues.

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