DuHaime leaving Mercury

After thirteen years running Mercury’s New Jersey office, Michael DuHaime will leave the global public affairs firm at the end of the year amid a partnership shakeup triggered by issues with the company’s California, New York and London offices.

Michael Soliman, a Mercury partner, will replace DuHaime as head of the firm’s substantial New Jersey operation.

DuHaime made his announcement at a staff meeting on Friday, days after giving the firm his notice, the New Jersey Globe has learned.

Among the departing partners in New York is Mike McKeon, a former advisor to New York Govs. Andrew Cuomo and George Pataki.  McKeon worked on Rudy Giuliani’s 2008 presidential campaign, which DuHaime managed.

POLITICO reported in October that McKeon and other partners were disputing a restrictive covenant by Mercury’s parent company, Omnicom, that prohibits employees from representing clients of the firm for at least one year after their departure.

A group of Mercury partners in California resigned in October, citing financial disputes and complaints with noncompete agreements.

Only DuHaime has resigned.   The firm’s other New Jersey partner, Modia Butler, is remaining.

The departures of his key allies appear to have created an untenable situation for DuHaime, a longtime Republican consultant and advisor to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

But his resignation may help Soliman and Butler, both Democratic powerhouses, avoid the likely internal strife that would come if Christie seeks the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

DuHaime joined Mercury in 2009, after serving as political director of the McCain-Palin campaign following the collapse of Giuliani’s’ bid for the presidency.

Soliman and Butler are top advisors to New Jersey’s two United States Senators, Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, respectively.

Soliman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.