Despite President Trump’s promises to drain the swamp under his administration, the lobbying industry has recorded its highest earnings in the first quarter for the past five years as many companies have invested heavily in lobbying activities aimed at the new administration and the Republican controlled congress. The Washington Post reports, “The first 100 days of the Trump administration have been extremely chaotic,” said Muftiah M. McCartin, a vice chair at Covington & Burling, which saw a 32 percent spike in earnings from lobbying, the largest growth of any firm. “As a result, companies across the globe are seeking assistance to help navigate the new administration.” The biggest spenders on lobbying were the pharmaceutical and health care industries. Per the Center of Responsive Politics the “industry spent the most at $78 million, about $10 million more than it did during the same period in 2016 for a 14 percent increase. (PhRMA did have the biggest spending spike of the top 10 spenders.)” Much of the activity by this industry can be attributed to the on-going battle to repeal and replace Obamacare.
Interestingly, despite the uptick in Q1 lobbying revenue, the number of registered lobbyists has decreased. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, “From January to March, the number of registered lobbyists dropped 10.3 percent compared to 2016’s first quarter, with only 9,175 official lobbyists on record. That number has been declining in recent years, but this is the biggest drop since lobbying reports started being reported quarterly.”
Below are Politico’s rankings of the top lobbying earners in the first quarter of 2017.
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: $9.1 million
- Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck: $6.6 million
- Squire Patton Boggs: $5.8 million
- The Podesta Group: $5.6 million
- Holland & Knight: $5.1 million
- BGR Government Affairs: $5 million
- Cornerstone Government Affairs: $4.5 million
- K&L Gates: $4.3 million
- Covington & Burling: $4.2 million
- Capitol Counsel: $4.1 million*
- Williams & Jensen: $3.9 million
- Van Scoyoc Associates: $4 million*
- Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas: $3.6 million
- Cassidy & Associates: $3.4 million
- Ernst & Young: $3.4 million*
- Peck Madigan Jones: $3.3 million*
- Fierce Government Relations: $3.2 million
- Capitol Tax Partners: $3.2 million*
- Ogilvy Government Relations: $2.9 million
- Alston & Bird: $2.7 million
