BulletProofBlog the blog on crisis communications

On Saturday, the House of Representatives passed an historic healthcare reform bill after months of protracted and heated debate about the future of our nation’s healthcare system. While the legislation still faces an uncertain path in the Senate, few thought Democrats would get this far, particularly after a week that included significant electoral defeats for Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey and the latest unemployment numbers clocking in at 10.2%. As the pundits dissect the House ... READ MORE

Each week, Bulletproof Blog features exclusive interviews with thought leaders on issues of critical importance to companies and countries. In this Bulletproof Interview exclusive, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich shares his thoughts on the most significant issues arising at the crossroads of government and business today. From healthcare reform to the new federal pay czar, Speaker Gingrich has his finger on the pulse of the latest legislative and regulatory developments coming out of ... READ MORE

Each week, Bulletproof Blog features exclusive interviews with thought leaders on issues of critical importance to companies and countries. This week, with banks of all shapes and sizes seeking to continue the reputational progress they’ve made in recent months, we interview Karen Tyson, Senior Vice President for Communications of the Independent Community Bankers of America. As a communications professional who has been has been at the center of solving the greatest branding challenges facing America’s more than ... READ MORE

Each week, Bulletproof Blog features exclusive interviews with thought leaders on issues of critical importance to companies and countries. This week, with the current economic crisis leading to increased scrutiny of competition issues around the globe, we interview Ian Forrester, QC, of White & Case LLP. Dr. Forrester advises companies, industry associations, private individuals, sovereign states, and other governmental authorities on European Union law, with a focus on competition, trade, customs, internal market rules, intellectual property and ... READ MORE

If hundreds of billions of barrels of new oil reserves were suddenly discovered in the Continental United States, the story would surely be front page news. Even with America’s energy concerns taking a back seat to the health care debate for the moment, a discovery of such far-reaching economic, environmental, and foreign policy implications simply could not be ignored. Now, replace the word “oil” with “natural gas.” Would the same dynamic hold true for a fossil fuel ... READ MORE

Unless you’re a news hound like me, you probably haven’t yet heard much about one of the proposals under consideration as Congress debates how best to pay for a possible overhaul of the American health care system. That’s likely about to change, and – as counterintuitive as it might seem – it’s the companies that would pay the highest price that are seeking to spread the word. Support for a proposed “soda tax,” or the notion ... READ MORE

One of the first rules of strategic communications - especially when the stakes are high and the debate is heated - is "control the message." The healthcare reform debate now reaching fever pitch on Capitol Hill offers just the latest example of what can happen when that fundamental rule is ignored. After a nasty summer of negative media coverage, collapsing poll numbers, and angry town hall confrontations, the White House is dialing up its efforts to ... READ MORE

On Monday, Federal District Court Judge Jed Rakoff rejected a proposed $33 million settlement between Bank of America and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as "neither fair, nor reasonable, nor adequate" in addressing alleged failures to disclose material shareholder information about the bank's 2008 purchase of Merrill Lynch. Yesterday afternoon, the bank received more bad news in the form of subpoenas from New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo for members of its board of ... READ MORE

Before the era of globalization fully took hold, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) lay virtually dormant as U.S. prosecutors invoked the act in just a handful of cases between 1977 and 2000. But today, as barriers to global commerce have disappeared, FCPA strictures are required reading for thousands of companies. The scope of the law is broad, its reach is substantial, and its enforcement has now become a top priority at the Department of ... READ MORE

Each week, Bulletproof Blog features exclusive interviews with thought leaders on issues of critical importance to companies and countries. This week, with the Obama Administration's reinvigorated focus on antitrust issues creating newfound corporate liabilities, we interview Dale Grimes, a nationally recognized leader in the antitrust bar. Mr. Grimes has litigated a full range of antitrust cases and helped companies build antitrust compliance infrastructures. He has practiced with the prestigious Tennessee law firm of Bass, Berry & ... READ MORE