MPAA TAPS CLINTON VETERAN GLICKMAN TO REPLACE VALENTI

The unanimous vote of the 7-member MPAA board for Glickman bucked the trend of recent trade association hires by not choosing a Republican. Both RIAA and CTIA in recent months have replaced retiring Democratic chiefs with Republicans, and many thought the same would happen as Valenti, a Lyndon Johnson protege, retired. Valenti and Glickman were asked about this repeatedly Thurs. “This is not a partisan job,” Valenti said: “In all honesty, political affiliation was never brought in [to the deliberations].” Glickman said “I'm not so much a pit bull [as] a consensus builder” and said he had many GOP friends on the Hill, in particular Senate Intelligence Committee Chmn. Roberts (R-Kan.). He said “it’s important for me to reach out” to Republicans, including members such as House Majority Whip Delay (R-Tex.) who have pushed for GOP hires in lobbying posts. Valenti, however, said he had never been told by anyone on the Hill that MPAA should hire a Republican.

Glickman has been an active donor to Democratic politicians over the last 4 years. He has given about $30,000 in hard-money contributions during that time, mostly to Democrats, although some Republicans also were recipients, including GOP La. congressional candidate Bobby Jindal ($500) and Sen. Hagel (R-Neb.) ($500). Glickman gave to 6 Democratic presidential candidates during the recent primaries. He gave $2,000 to Sen. Kerry (D-Mass.) on Jan. 26, a week after Kerry won the Ia. caucuses and a day before he won the N.H. primary. However, in 2003 Glickman chose not to give to Kerry, the senator from Glickman’s new home of Mass., and instead gave to 5 other candidates -- former Vt. Gov. Howard Dean (D) and retired U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark, $1,000 apiece; and Rep. Gephardt (D-Mo.), Sen. Lieberman (D- Conn.) and Sen. Graham (D-Fla.), $500 apiece. Glickman also has given $1,000 apiece to House Commerce Committee ranking Democrat Dingell (Mich.) and House Telecom Subcommittee ranking Democrat Markey (Mass.). Senate Minority Leader Daschle (D-S.D.) got $2,000, Senate Minority Whip Reid (D- Nev.) $250.

Valenti made it clear what he thought should be Glickman’s focus. “I think I told Dan that the prime priority of his new job is to make sure that the American motion picture can be protected, and clothed with some sort of technology,” Valenti said, as well as pressing for “a change of attitude in this country” to be more respectful of copyrights. “That’s his number one job, I made that very clear to him,” Valenti said. Asked if he differed at all from Valenti in his attitude toward piracy, Glickman said “I do not.” He said his expertise in trade issues would help protect intellectual property abroad and open new markets.

While Glickman and Valenti wouldn’t say how much Glickman will be paid, Valenti said “it’s in that alluring range of 7 figures.” He also said, however, that it wouldn’t be among the top 5 or 6 Washington trade association salaries. “It’s more than I make now,” Glickman said, “it’s a very comfortable wage.” Glickman noted the salary will become public eventually; trade groups must file forms with the IRS that include top salaries, but those don’t usually become public until a year or 2 after the salary has been paid. Glickman currently is the dir. of the Institute of Politics at Harvard U. He has also been a partner for Akin Gump since leaving the Clinton administration in Jan. 2001. Valenti noted that Glickman served on the House Judiciary Committee, including the Copyright Subcommittee. However, Glickman is known mostly for his work on agriculture and trade issues. The Greater Talent Network, which made Glickman available for paid speaking engagements, listed numerous topics on which Glickman could speak -- agriculture, biotechnology, food stamps, forestry, commodity prices and school lunches, to name a few -- but didn’t mention intellectual property.

Glickman acknowledged he'll have a “steep learning curve” to get up to speed on intellectual property challenges facing MPAA. Asked about the numerous copyright-related bills in which MPAA has an interest, he said he’s “generally aware of the legislation” but needed to review the bills before commenting, adding he only learned he had the job last Fri. He has been out to Hollywood to meet with studio executives and will travel again soon, he said. (Valenti had offices in Washington and Encino, Cal., and in a statement Thurs. he said he spent more time in Cal. than in D.C.) Glickman wouldn’t say if MPAA would begin suing file-sharers, as RIAA has, but listed litigation as one of the tools available to a copyright holder. Public Knowledge congratulated Glickman. “We hope that MPAA will attempt to embrace technological change, rather than try to hinder it, and will work to benefit consumers, rather than to take actions hostile to them,” said Gigi Sohn, Public Knowledge pres.

Valenti has been atop MPAA for more than 38 years and will still have a role in the movie industry after Sept. 1. He said for the time being he will continue to oversee the ratings system he was instrumental in producing; that oversight will be performed in conjunction with the National Assn. of Theatre Owners. Valenti said at least 25 candidates were considered for as his successor but wouldn’t confirm that former Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke was a leading candidate. MPAA was turned down twice by sitting members of Congress, both citing insufficient pay. Then- House Commerce Committee Chmn. Tauzin (R-La.) couldn’t reach terms on salary, and retiring Sen. Breaux (D-La.) also said no. Breaux told Roll Call that he could make far more money opening his own lobbying shop or partnering with an existing firm than he could running a trade group. All 7 board members needed to agree on the selection, Valenti said, and he didn’t have a vote.

While Glickman is new to Hollywood, his son isn’t. Jonathan Glickman is pres. of production for Spyglass Entertainment and has produced movies such as Grosse Pointe Blank, Rush Hour, Inspector Gadget and Shanghai Noon. Asked for his favorite movie, Glickman said “any movie my son produced.” He also said he loves Godfather I and II, as well as Animal House, which he said was exactly like his fraternity at the U. of Mich.

Along with continuing to oversee the ratings system, Valenti said he'd be spending about 6 days a month working with the Global Fund combating tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS. He'll also get to spend more time with his wife Mary Margaret, who was seated at the front of the press conference. The only regret Valenti voiced of his 38 years with MPAA was that he didn’t spend more time with his 3 children, Courtenay, John and Alexandra.