P.U.B. Board Satisfied with Performance of Wonderboy Lobbyist Brandon Aghamalian

Jenny, Brandon Aghamalian

Everything about lobbyist Brandon Aghamalian is calculated to sell;  his $2,000 suit, $200 haircut and his self-assured manner bowl over Brownsville's P.U.B. board, looking for results from rate-payer dollars thrown at a team of Austin lobbyists.

The 39 year old Brandon leans casually against a wall, several feet behind the podium, until he is finally called to let P.U.B. know they got their money's worth during their board meeting 6/11/2013.


"I can give you the short version," Brandon starts.  "The two bills you wants passed got passed.  The two bills you wanted rescinded, got rescinded.  Now, can we all just go home?"

The board laughs nervously.  All quickly realize they are not on Brandon's level to express their concerns to state senators and representatives about laws effecting utilities.  Brandon knows that, too, and quickly gives the local schmokals a rundown on all his efforts.  "You said you wanted this bill and we saw that it got passed.  You wanted us to kill this bill and we did."  After teasing the board with the "short version," young Aghamalian goes into considerable detail, painting a picture of sort of a whirlwind advocacy on behalf of P.U.B. during the last legislative sessions.  Brandon and the lobbyists who follow him in testimony all seem in a hurry, giving the impression that a minute is never wasted while "on the clock" for the utility.

With one click of the pointer, the South Texas triumvirate of State Senator Lucio and Representives Lucio III and Rene Oliveira appears on the screen.  "We couldn't have done it with such a fine group representing us.  They put their seniority on committees to work for us."

Aghamalian yields the P.U.B. floor to 3 or 4 others on his team.  All are articulate, glib, but none as glib as Brandon.  It's all very feel good.

Brandon is part of a lobbying team, Focused Advocacy.  This is from their website:



"Aghamalian previously worked as the chief of staff for then-Rep. Kim Brimer (R-Fort Worth) where he assisted in the passage of HB 1200, the Texas Economic Development Act, which provides incentives for capital-intensive industries to build or expand in Texas. Previous to that, he served as the director for the House Committee on Business and Industry where he helped negotiate a massive overhaul to the state’s workers’ compensation system (HB 2600) and the state’s job training fund.

Prior to that, Aghamalian was the Legislative Director for Rep. Todd Smith (R-Euless). From 1993 to 1997, Aghamalian served as the legislative coordinator for the Texas Parent Teacher Association. He has also served as an adviser and fundraiser for several political campaigns.

Aghamalian earned his J.D. and master’s degree from the University of Texas in Austin, and his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Texas State University in San Marcos, where he also was a NCAA-scholarship track athlete and student body vice-president."