Endeavor Signs With D.C. Lobbying Firm Led by Former Trump Campaign Adviser

By Ted Johnson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – WASHINGTON — Endeavor, the parent company of WME and IMG, has signed on to American Continental Group, the lobbying and government affairs firm led by David Urban, and early backer of Donald Trump in the 2016 campaign.

’s representation was disclosed as part of lobbying registrations filed with the U.S. Senate. Politico first reported on the registration, which was made under Endeavor’s former name, WME IMG LLC.

American Continental Group bills itself as a bipartisan firm, and its staffers have worked on Capitol Hill on both sides of the aisle. Other media and entertainment clients that the firm has represented have included the Copyright Alliance, Comcast, the MPAA, Time Warner, and Viacom, and they have worked on issues such as intellectual property.

A spokesman for Endeavor said the company has two in-house government relations executives and has also retained other outside firms. It owns UFC and the Miss Universe Pageant.

Urban, who is a political commentator on CNN, served as senior political liaison at the Republican convention, and later as senior adviser to the campaign, focused on securing Trump’s victory in Pennsylvania. Trump is a former client of Ari Emanuel, the CEO of Endeavor. The brother of Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel, Emanuel has traditionally given to Democrats. Executives of WME has also formed a political action committee, Endeavor Action, which on Monday evening is hosting an Emily’s List event in Beverly Hills in support of pro-choice Democratic House candidates.