CUNA Hires Republican Operative To HeadLobby Staff

WASHINGTON - (03/22/06) – CUNA formally announced Tuesdayit has hired John Magill, a long-time Capitol Hill staffer andchief of staff to a senior Republican member of the tax-writingHouse Ways and Means Committee, as its chief lobbyist. Theannouncement follows Monday’s hiring of Dean Sagar, long-timeDemocratic for the House Financial Services Committee, as thenumber two lobbyist, giving the CUNA staff influence on both theRepublican and Democratic sides of the aisle. Magill has almost 30years experience on Capitol Hill, the last 19 of those forCalifornia Congressman Wally Herger, who will be the third rankingRepublican on the Ways and Means Committee and in the running forchairman with the retirement of Bill Thomas later this year.Magill’s experience with Herger is expected to give CUNA someimportant sway in the event the credit union tax exemption comesbefore the Ways and Means Committee again.