NewsstandThe lobbyists
The Lobbyist Registry · A Gen Us Data Surface
The lobbyists
writing the policy.
Every chain we trace runs: client → lobbyist → committee → bill. This is the lobbyist end. Profiles, registered clients, FARA filings, revolving-door histories, and receipts for every claim.
Lobbyists tracked
27
Revolving door
14
FARA registered
9
Top firm
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Sources: Senate Office of Public Records (LD-2), DOJ FARA database, OpenSecrets, press reporting.
01 · The Registry
Track the firm, not the headline.
Lobbyist
Brian Ballard
Ballard Partners
Reported
$20M+ in disclosed federal lobbying (2023 LD-2 filings)
Foreign government clientsDefense procurementTrump-orbit access
Lobbyist
Tony Podesta
Podesta Group (closed 2017); now independent
Reported
Podesta Group peaked at $24M+ in annual federal lobbying revenue (2010s)
Foreign government clientsTech / telecomDemocratic-leaning corporate accounts
Lobbyist
Robert Stryk
Stryk Global Diplomacy
Foreign governments under US pressureSanctions navigationTrump-orbit access
Lobbyist
Heather Podesta
Invariant (formerly Heather Podesta + Partners)
Reported
$25M+ in disclosed federal lobbying (2023 LD-2 filings, Invariant)
HealthcareFinancial servicesTech
Revolving door
Ed Royce
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Foreign policyDefense and aerospaceFinancial services
Revolving door
Eric Cantor
Moelis & Company (vice chairman / managing director)
Reported
Reported $3.4M starting compensation package at Moelis (2014)
Financial servicesMergers and acquisitions advisoryTax policy
Revolving door
Dick Gephardt
Gephardt Government Affairs
Reported
Gephardt Group peaked at ~$8M+ annual federal lobbying revenue
Tax and tradeHealthcareDefense / foreign policy
Revolving door
Marc Lampkin
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Reported
Brownstein Hyatt: $50M+ in annual federal lobbying revenue (top 3 in DC)
Tax policyFinancial servicesHealthcare
Revolving door
Tom Daschle
The Daschle Group (a Baker Donelson advisory)
HealthcareEnergyTax and budget policy
Lobbyist
Jeff Miller
Miller Strategies
Reported
$30M+ in disclosed federal lobbying revenue (2024)
Defense and aerospaceTechEnergy
Revolving door
Howard Berman
Covington & Burling
Foreign policyIran sanctionsMiddle East
Revolving door
Norm Coleman
Hogan Lovells
Foreign policy (Israel)HealthcareRepublican Jewish Coalition leadership
Revolving door
Steve Elmendorf
Subject Matter (formerly Elmendorf | Ryan)
Reported
Subject Matter: $40M+ in annual federal lobbying revenue (top Democratic shop)
Tax policyHealthcareFinancial services
Revolving door
David Castagnetti
Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas
Reported
Mehlman Castagnetti: $30M+ in annual federal lobbying revenue
Tax policyTradeHealthcare
Revolving door
Bruce Mehlman
Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas
Reported
Mehlman Castagnetti: $30M+ in annual federal lobbying revenue
Tech and telecomTax policyTrade
Revolving door
Ed Kutler
Clark Hill Public Strategies
BiotechHealthcare / pharmaTax policy
Lobbyist
Steve Hart
Williams & Jensen
Reported
Williams & Jensen: ~$20M+ in annual federal lobbying revenue
Healthcare / pharmaFinancial servicesTax policy
Lobbyist
Tony Roda
Williams & Jensen
US territoriesForeign-government clientsTax policy
Lobbyist
McGuireWoods Consulting (Saudi Arabia practice)
McGuireWoods Consulting
Foreign-government clientsSaudi ArabiaDefense and energy
Lobbyist
Squire Patton Boggs (Saudi Arabia practice)
Squire Patton Boggs
Foreign-government clientsSaudi ArabiaTrade
Lobbyist
Carmen Group (Qatar practice)
Carmen Group
Foreign-government clientsQatarEnergy
Lobbyist
Mercury Public Affairs (Turkey practice)
Mercury Public Affairs (an Omnicom company)
Foreign-government clientsTurkeyStrategic communications
Revolving door
John Engler
Multiple post-government roles (Business Roundtable, Michigan State University interim presidency)
Manufacturing / industrial policyTradeTax policy
Lobbyist
Sean Donohue
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Reported
Akin Gump: $60M+ in annual federal lobbying revenue (top 3 in DC)
DefenseFinancial servicesTax policy
Revolving door
Tom Korologos
Timmons & Company
Supreme Court confirmationsTax policyForeign policy
Lobbyist
Charlie Black
Prime Policy Group (formerly BKSH, formerly Black Manafort Stone)
Foreign-government clients (historical)Tax and tradeRepublican presidential strategy
Revolving door
Howard Cohen
Waxman Strategies (formerly HC Wainwright affiliations)
Healthcare / pharmaMedicare and MedicaidFDA policy
02 · Editorial note
How we frame each lobbyist.
We frame each lobbyist by the clients on their LD-2 and FARA filings— not by their ethnicity, party, or assumed sympathies. “Israel-aligned” here means a registered client list that includes Israel-related principals or trade groups. Receipts on every claim.
Where a specific figure cannot be sourced to public reporting or a public disclosure, we leave the field blank rather than estimate. If a contract is disputed or canceled, we say so. This surface only works if every entry is accurate.
03 · Related surfaces
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