Clerk of the House of Representatives
Legislative Resource Center
135 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515
http://lobbyingdisclosure.house.gov 		Secretary of the Senate
Office of Public Records
232 Hart Building
Washington, DC 20510
http://www.senate.gov/lobby

LOBBYING REGISTRATION

Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Section 4)

Check One: New Registrant New Client for Existing Registrant Amendment

1. Effective Date of Registration
8/1/2021
2. House Identification
 35394
 Senate Identification
 61458

REGISTRANT Organization/Lobbying Firm Self Employed Individual

3. Registrant Organization
The Raben Group
Address
1341 G Street NW Flr 5
 Address2
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City
WASHINGTON
 State
DC
 Zip
20005
 Country
USA

4. Principal place of business (if different than line 3)

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5. Contact name and telephone number International Number
Contact
​Mr. Robert Raben
 Telephone
​2024668585
 E-mail
​lobbying@rabengroup.com
6. General description of registrant’s business or activities
​National public affairs and strategic communications firm

CLIENT A Lobbying Firm is required to file a separate registration for each client. Organizations employing in-house lobbyists should check the box labeled “Self” and proceed to line 10. Self

7. Client name
​United States Cannabis Council
Address
​2370 Champlain St NW
City
​Washington
 State
​DC
 Zip
​20009
 Country
​USA
8. Principal place of business (if different than line 7)
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9. General description of client’s business or activities
​USCC aims to end the federal prohibition of cannabis and legalize it in The United States

LOBBYISTS

10. Name of each individual who has acted or is expected to act as a lobbyist for the client identified on line 7. If any person listed in this section has served as a “covered executive branch official” or “covered legislative branch official” within twenty years of first acting as a lobbyist for the client, state the executive and/or legislative position(s) in which the person served.

Name Covered Official Position (if applicable)
First
Last
Suffix
​Robert ​Raben ​ ​Asst. Attorney Gen DOJ; Counsel, House Judiciary
​Eduardo ​Soto ​ ​Legislative Aide, Maxine Waters' office; intern, Office of Resident commissioner Pedro Pierluisi
​Diego ​Sanchez Gallardo ​ ​Legislative Intern, Office of Representative Mike Coffman
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LOBBYING ISSUES

11. General lobbying issue areas (Select all applicable codes).

​GOV
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12. Specific lobbying issues (current and anticipated)

Issues relating to cannabis reform legislation and policy, including H.R. 1996 - SAFE Banking Act of 2021, COVID relief for cannabis-related small businesses, and in support of eliminating the Financial Services and General Government appropriations amendment preventing DC from establishing a regulated adult-use cannabis market.

AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS

13. Is there an entity other than the client that contributes more than $5,000 to the lobbying activities of the registrant in a quarterly period and either participates in and/or in whole or in major part supervises or controls the registrant’s lobbying activities?

No --> Go to line 14. Yes --> Complete the rest of this section for each entity matching the criteria above, then proceed to line 14.
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FOREIGN ENTITIES

14. Is there any foreign entity

a) holds at least 20% equitable ownership in the client or any organization identified on line 13; or

b) directly or indirectly, in whole or in major part, plans, supervises, controls, directs, finances or subsidizes activities of the client or any organization identified on line 13; or

c) is an affiliate of the client or any organization identified on line 13 and has a direct interest in the outcome of the lobbying activity?

No --> Sign and date the registration. Yes --> Complete the rest of this section for each entity matching the criteria above, then sign the registration.
Address Ownership
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(city and state or country) for lobbying activities
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CONVICTIONS DISCLOSURE

15. Have any of the lobbyists listed on this report been convicted in a Federal or State Court of an offense involving bribery, extortion, embezzlement, an illegal kickback, tax evasion, fraud, a conflict of interest, making a false statement, perjury, or money laundering?

Signature
Digitally Signed By: Brian Smith
 Date
10/5/2021 3:50:27 PM