Former top House aide joins restaurant group

Scott DeFife, a former top aide to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), is leaving a Wall Street trade group to join the National Restaurant Association.

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association said Monday that DeFife was leaving his job as senior managing director for government affairs to take over as executive vice president for policy and government affairs at the restaurant group.

The National Restaurant Association, which has been aligned more closely with Republicans, has been reorganizing in recent months, and hiring DeFife may help the group make inroads with Democrats on Capitol Hill.

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