Linda Menghetti


Linda Menghetti Dempsey is a U.S. lawyer who has defended U.S. corporate interests in Washington, D.C. since 2000.
Until 2020, Menghetti testified frequently before U.S. Congress on behalf of U.S. corporations.
Menghetti is accredited to view treaties which are national security-sensitive.

National Association of Manufacturers, Vice President (2012-2019)

Previously, Dempsey was Vice President, International Economic Affairs, of the National Association of Manufacturers and lawyer in Washington, D.C. from 2012 to February 2020. In February 2020, Menghetti left NAM to work for CF Industries Holding, Inc. as Vice President of Public Affairs.

Emergency Committee for American Trade, Vice President (2000-2012)

Menghetti previously served as Vice President at the now defunct Emergency Committee for American Trade which was an association of major U.S. corporations, representing the collective position of U.S. corporations before the USTR. ECAT closed in 2020, but in its heyday, 1967-2020, was staffed by former Senate Staffers; the association was founded by , a former Senate Staffer and former Congressional Affairs Liason for the U.S. Trade Representative. The Executive Director of ECAT was Harold "Terry" McGraw, then-President of McGraw-Hill, which own Standard and Poors stock market data site. Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus was a frequent speaker at ECAT meetings.
As Vice President at ECAT, Menghetti worked with top business leaders of U.S. companies to ensure that corporate interests were reflected in the drafting of U.S. trade and investment treaties. She participated in WTO negotiations, bilateral trade agreements and regional trade agreements, and bilateral investment treaties.

(2009) Authorized to view national-security-related counterfeit treaty (ACTA)

In 2009, Menghetti was on a list of persons able to view the secret Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, due to her membership in the , which was chaired by , then-President of the . Mr. Vastine was one of the founders of ECAT, he was also a former Senate Staffer. The ACTA was considered to be a matter of national security and it was remarkable for a trade NGO to be a part of these negotiations.

(2011) Defense of Chevron in dispute with Government of Ecuador

In 2011, Menghetti was part of a group of lawyers defending U.S. corporations, a position reflected in a letter to the Economist, where she signed a statement citing that "Chevron is the victim".

(2012) The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP)

In 2012, Menghetti defended the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement before a joint hearing before the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade and The Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of the Committee on Foreign Affairs House of Representatives. Menghetti testified alongside the former U.S. Representative Susan Schwab.

(2020) ECAT closed

In 2019, ECAT President Calman Cohen retired, and in 2020, ECAT closed. The ECAT website URL was sold to a with a cat-related moniker.

Minority Counsel (Democratic) at the [Senate Finance Committee] (1996-2000)

Prior to joining ECAT, Menghetti was Chief Democratic Trade Counsel and Minority Trade Counsel for the Senate Finance Committee, being at this time a member of the staff of Daniel Moynihan. In this capacity she travelled often to Geneva and Paris, according to Senate Finance Committee travel records. She advised the Committee on international trade issues, including trade legislation, the activities of the World Trade Organization and on the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, ongoing and prospective trade negotiations, implementation of the Uruguay Round and the NAFTA, bilateral trade issues and disputes, and labor and environmental issues related to trade. In this capacity Menghetti worked to forward legislation according Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China, the Trade and Development Act of 2000, the FSC Repeal and Extraterritorial Income Act of 2000, renewal of the trade adjustment assistance and Generalized System of Preferences programs. Menghetti was one of the principal drafters of the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

Intern for Congressman [Bill Bradley] (1995-1996)

In 1995-1996, Menghetti was an intern in Congressman Bill Bradley's office paid by an International Affairs fellowship from the Council on Foreign Relations

Other

Menghetti received her J.D. degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law where she was editor-in-chief of the International Tax & Business Lawyer.
In 2008, Menghetti was named a "Woman of the Year" by the Association of Women in International Trade.

Publications

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