Ed Pagano Quoted in FT on Retail Sector’s Concerns Amid COVID-19 Outbreak

Financial Times has quoted Akin Gump public law and policy partner Ed Pagano in the article “Companies jostle for aid in coronavirus lobbying frenzy,” which looks at the various lobbying efforts under way in Washington as a result of the coronavirus disruption. Pagano addressed one of the concerns of the retail sector.

The article reports that retailers have been pushing for broader access to the Federal Reserve’s liquidity facilities, including its corporate bond-buying program. The industry has also unsuccessfully sought, the article notes, greater consistency across states on the closure of “non-essential” businesses.

“That’s one of the things that retailers are grappling with: how it’s defined by each state, how it’s interpreted and enforced,” said Pagano. “One hope is the administration would eventually issue guidelines.”