(Bloomberg)—Kushner Cos., the real estate business of Jared Kushner’s family, has switched public relations firms to one that specializes in crisis communications as federal prosecutors scrutinize the company’s efforts to secure financing for some of its properties.
Eric Wachter, a vice president at public relations firm Finsbury, said he will now be handling press inquiries. He replaces Risa Heller Communications, hired before Kushner became a senior adviser in the White House to his father-in-law, President Donald Trump. Wachter specializes in communications relating to crisis and issues management, litigation, government investigations, and public policy and regulatory matters. The change occurred this week.
Senate Democrats want to know if Jared Kushner discussed the family business during a meeting with Russian banker Sergey Gorkov. Separately, Kushner Cos. drew scrutiny earlier this year after making pitches to Chinese investors through a controversial investment-for-visa program known as EB-5.
Finsbury previously represented Volkswagen AG during its diesel emissions scandal. Risa Heller rose to prominence as a spokeswoman for New York Democrats, including U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and former Governor David Paterson. She began representing Kushner Cos. in late 2015.
To contact the reporters on this story: Caleb Melby in New York at [email protected] ;David Kocieniewski in New York at [email protected] To contact the editors responsible for this story: Laura Zelenko at [email protected] Ethan Bronner
COPYRIGHT
© 2017 Bloomberg L.P.