CHICAGO, IL-The Obama campaign announced today the formation of an Obama Congressional Liaison Team. The team will serve as the primary contact for the individual Senators and House members and will ensure that the member of Congress' counsel is considered in overall message strategy, campaign planning and execution.

"Americans cannot afford four more years of President Bush’s policies and our new team in Washington will help us to stay in contact with members of Congress who know all too well how the divisive politics of the past have impeded progress on measures to move our country in a new direction,” said Obama campaign manager David Plouffe.

The Obama Congressional Liaison Team members include:

Senior Advisor - Phil Schiliro

Schiliro is Representative Henry Waxman's long-time Chief of Staff and has also been the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee's top Democratic staff person since 1997.  In 2004, he worked in the Senate as the Policy Director for Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle and as the Staff Director to the Senate Democratic Leadership Committees.
 

Senior Counsel - Mike Strautmanis

During the primary, Michael Strautmanis served as Counselor to Obama for America as one of the Senator Obama's chief political advisors.  A friend of Barack and Michelle for nearly 20 yrs, Michael has been active in politics in Chicago and Washington DC.  He began his career as a paralegal in Michelle's law firm.  He served as Legislative Director and Counsel for US Rep Rod R. Blagojevich.  He joined Senator Obama when he came to the Senate, serving as Chief Counsel and Deputy Chief of Staff

DNC Policy Director - Karen Richardson

Richardson served as Deputy to the Policy Director in Senator Obama's U.S. Senate office.  She joined the campaign as Iowa policy director in the spring of 2007.  Richardson has a JD from Howard University and a MS from the London School of Economics.

Robertson served as Deputy to the Chief Counsel in Senator Obama's U.S. Senate office. Robertson previously worked for a venture capital research firm in San Francisco and is currently on leave from the Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M. degree program
 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2008
Obama Press Office: (312) 819-2423