PhRMA, which represents the brand-name drugmakers and opposes the [John McCain]-[Charles E. Schumer] bill, says [Sonya D. Sotak]'s hiring wasn't an attempt to derail the legislation.

Because of government ethics rules, Sotak may not lobby McCain for a year, [Jackie Cottrell] said. PhRMA prefers that its lobbyists not talk to the news media.

She was recruited two years ago by NCTA chief executive Robert Sachs, but Multichannel News reports that "the Sachs-[Peggy Binzel] relationship did not work out as planned." NCTA says Binzel will start working for the new group on July 1.