Purdue moving to trim its federal lobbying costs

Purdue University is planning to trim its federal lobbying costs and downsize its Washington, D.C., office by cutting ties with an outside lobbying firm.

Purdue spokesman Chris Sigurdson told the Journal & Courier exact figures on how much the school expects to save by altering its lobbying presence in the nation's capital weren't immediately available. He said the cuts are part of an internal restructuring.

As part of that restructuring, Purdue is cutting ties with outside lobbying firm FaegreBD Consulting, which has two offices in Indianapolis, and handing lobbying duties to lobbyist Deborah Hohlt on a contractual basis. Hohlt lobbied for Daniels when he was Indiana's governor.

Sigurdson says the lobbying changes aren't part of the school's efforts to cover the estimated $40 million cost of Purdue's decision to freeze tuition rates through 2015.