Concerned that public opinion is firmly on the side of striking Writers Guild of America (WGA) members, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) hired a bipartisan stable of new PR consultants. The studio owners' group "retained Mark Fabiani [3] and Chris Lehane [4], who have served as senior aides and advisors to President Clinton [5] and Vice President Al Gore [6]," among other Democrats. AMPTP also hired Steve Schmidt [7], "a close advisor to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger [8]," reports the Los Angeles Times. On the Firedoglake blog [9], Jane Hamsher writes about the fallout. Education workers with SEIU [10] Local 99 in Los Angeles have fired Lehane "from a consulting contract in support of the WGA." SEIU President Andy Stern said, "By the end of the week, I believe Chris Lehane will have no union clients because of his work for the AMPTP."