In this pre-election episode of The Lobby Shop, co-hosts Liam Donovan, Josh Zive, Caitlin Sickles, and Dylan Pasiuk sit down with Justin Slaughter, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at venture capital firm Paradigm, for an in-depth discussion at the intersection of technology, financial markets, and policy. Paradigm focuses on investments in the cryptocurrency, blockchain, and decentralized finance (DeFi) sectors and Justin brings a wealth of experience from his time in the fintech space as well as at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and in the U.S. Senate.
The group explores the evolving regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies, and how Washington – and the 2024 presidential candidates – are addressing the rapid rise of new technologies. Justin shares some of Paradigm’s research and insights into how policy discussions are shaping both traditional finance and emerging digital markets.
On the latest episode, the Lobby Shop team breaks down the Vice-Presidential debate and its implications for the November election. Tune in for a discussion of key moments from the debate, the civility shown by both JD Vance and Tim Walz, and how public perception shaped the impact of the debate. This is an episode you won’t want to miss.
The Lobby Shop Team analyzes the Trump v Harris debate including the high and low points for each candidate. They also delve into the debate strategies employed, such as one candidate’s social media-savvy expressions. The discussion covers the main topics debated, including how tariffs became a central focus and the reasons behind manufacturers hiring refugees. Finally, the team examines how each candidate’s performance could shape the trajectory of their campaigns.
The Lobby Shop returns with guest Dee Martin, co-head of the Policy Resolution Group and host of sister podcast Madam Policy. Coming back from attending the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Dee discusses the energy inside the arena, the top takeaways from the convention, and the policies that the Harris team will highlight in the post-Labor Day final stretch of the campaign. The team then talks about the role women voters will play and how abortion measures on several state ballots will drive turnout. Liam Donovan also provides a quick analysis on the impact of Harris’ ascension on down-ballot races.
The Lobby Shop team discusses Kamala Harris choosing MN Gov Tim Walz to be her running mate. Liam takes a (humble) victory lap for being one of the first to flag Walz as a possible pick and talks about what Walz brings -and doesn’t bring- to the ticket. The discussion then turns to how the GOP is going to try and define Walz and the difference in messaging (and energy) for Democrats with the change from Biden to Harris.
In this ~ emergency ~ episode of The Lobby Shop, show co-hosts Josh Zive, Liam Donovan, Paul Nathanson, and Caitlin Sickles discuss President Biden’s unprecedented decision to leave the race just 105 days out from the election. Biden has thrown his weight behind his VP, Kamala Harris, as his successor. Influential Democrats are showing enthusiasm for Harris at the top of the ticket, and the campaign cash is rolling in. But how long will the high last? The group discusses the challenges and opportunities that a Harris candidacy brings, and they speculate on who Harris might choose as a running mate. The co-hosts also cover how running against Harris is different than running against Biden for Team Trump and how the Republicans might reconsider their messaging in what is now a whole new race for the White House.
For the last few weeks, all eyes have been on President Biden and the will he, won’t he of his reelection bid. But, as Republicans prepare for their nominating convention, starting on Monday, July 15th, attention will soon turn to former President Trump and his selection for a vice presidential candidate. Who will it be? In this PRG Pulse minisode, Caitlin talks to Liam about former President Trump's vice presidential search, what makes this election different than most, and how he is handicapping the field.
PRG Pulse is your source for election coverage and analysis from Bracewell’s Policy Resolution Group policy pros.
Axios National Political Correspondent Alex Thompson joins The Lobby Shop crew for a conversation about what comes next for Team Biden and the Democratic party four months out from the 2024 election. Alarm bells continue to ring weeks after Biden's disastrous first presidential debate. With calls for Biden to step aside echoing from Capitol Hill to Hollywood, TLS cohosts Liam Donovan, Josh Zive, Caitlin Sickles, and Paul Nathanson ask Alex if and how Biden and his team can tamp down panic. Alex, who has reported consistently on questions of Biden's age and fitness, brings a valuable perspective on the mood inside Biden world (hint: disillusioned and demoralized) and whether a plan B is even possible.
Paul and Liam break down the fallout from President Biden's rough debate performance, what Biden must do to turn things around, and whether ongoing panic among Democrats will lead to a new nominee.
On the Lobby Shop’s latest episode, hosts Liam Donovan, Caitlin Sickles, Paul Nathanson, Josh Zive, and Dylan Pasiuk welcome Adam Carlson, former Democratic pollster, to the show. They discuss the state of polling in the United States, including how much Dems should be worried about President Biden's poll numbers and the impact of third-party candidates. They also touch on how difficult polling is to conduct in battleground states like Nevada and whether voters should pay so much attention to polls this far out from November. Make sure to tune in!
The Lobby Shop team breaks down the state of the presidential race in advance of the highly anticipated Manhattan trial verdict. Paul, Caitlin, Dylan, and Liam discuss the 2024 election, what variables remain, and the risk and opportunity facing both sides in the home stretch of the campaign. (Episode Recorded on 5/29)
With the election season heating up, the Lobby Shop team is joined by Pat Dennis, President of the Democratic Super PAC American Bridge 21st Century, to discuss the role of opposition research in campaigns, and what his group is doing to help Democrats win up and down the ticket. Hosts Liam Donovan, Paul Nathanson, Dylan Pasiuk, Caitlin Sickles, and Josh Zive sit down with Pat to unpack the “dark arts” of politics, the evolution of negative campaigning, and what we should be watching for in the home stretch of the campaign.
Hot off the Commerce Department release of the first quarter GDP report, AP economics writer Paul Wiseman joins the Lobby Shop team to discuss the state of the US and global economies. Hosts Liam Donovan, Paul Nathanson, Josh Zive, and Dylan Pasiuk sit down with Paul W to discuss the health of the economy perceived and actual inflation and his recent story on how immigration has impacted the US labor market.
Tune in to this special edition of The Lobby Shop which features an episode of Bracewell LLP’s Environmental Law Monitor podcast, as they interview our own Liam Donovan and Joe Brazauskas.
In a special crossover episode between The Lobby Shop and the Environmental Law Monitor, Bracewell associates Daniel Pope and Taylor Stuart sit down with PRG’s Liam Donovan and Joe Brazauskas to do a deep dive on the Congressional Review Act (CRA), a powerful tool that has the Biden administration scrambling to finalize its regulatory proposals ahead of electoral uncertainty.
Lobby Shop hosts Josh Zive, Liam Donovan, and Dylan Pasiuk discuss the state of play in Congress, shifting dynamics within the House of Representatives, and what’s left of the legislative agenda before campaign season takes over. Tune in to hear a peak into what is coming up next for both Congress and The Lobby Shop.
On this episode of The Lobby Shop, co-host Paul Nathanson moderates a conversation with co-hosts Liam Donovan and Dylan Pasiuk. They discuss initial reactions to President Biden's final State of the Union prior to the November Presidential election, Biden's decision to open the speech with foreign policy, and how President Biden used this opportunity to both energize Democratic voters and spar with Republicans in the House Chamber. The group then turns to policy implications in the speech for the business community.
On this episode of The Lobby Shop, co-host Caitlin Sickles moderates a quick conversation with co-hosts Liam Donovan and Josh Zive. The trio tackle the important policy issues from appropriations to national security currently tied up in the legislative morass. But when compromise is a political killer, how do Members find common ground? Then, the group turns their attention to South Carolina where Nikki Haley hopes for a strong performance against Former President Trump and possibly looks to a post-Trump future.
We welcome an old friend and a new co-host to the podcast this week! Former Bracewell colleague John Lee, now Chief of Staff to Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), joins the team to discuss his path from Bracewell/PRG to leading a Congressional staff, what it’s like to be lobbied now that he sits on the other side of the table (including the dos and don’ts), and his advice to young professionals moving from the private sector to Capitol Hill. John also provides an insider’s view of recent dramatic votes in the House. The episode also marks the debut of a new Lobby Shop co-host, PRG Principal Dylan Pasiuk. Welcome Dylan!
The group is seeing double this week when another tax policy expert joins the studio to talk about the tax bill that’s on everyone’s mind in Washington. Omar Nashashibi, lobbyist and founding partner of The Franklin Partnership, joins The Lobby Shop’s Liam Donovan to swap insights and analysis of the bicameral tax framework and share speculation about what comes next. This episode is also a worlds collide moment for TLS hosts Caitlin Sickles and Paul Nathanson who also co-host a biweekly podcast, Talking with One Voice (supported by the National Tooling and Machining Association and the Precision Metalforming Association) with Omar and his colleague John Guzik. Caitlin, Paul, and Josh ask Omar questions about the tax framework’s implications for manufacturers and talk about advocating for small business in a crowded Washington policy landscape.
On the first episode of 2024, hosts Liam Donovan, Caitlin Sickles, and Paul Nathanson welcome back President & Executive Director of bipartisan political organization FWD.US, Todd Schulte, five years since his first appearance on the show. They discuss the border crisis, the status of ongoing Congressional negotiations, and the complicated political dynamics at play. They also touch on the impact of worker shortages on the business community, and how immigration policy stands to factor into the upcoming presidential election. Make sure to tune in to this first episode of 2024!
With the calendar year coming to an end, Paul Nathanson and Liam Donovan get together to discuss the state of play of Congress and the legislative challenges that will be dealt with before the year ends and which will be left to deal with in the new year. They start with the never-ending appropriations negotiations, the role of the Speaker in these talks, and whether or not he is making an impact. They then question if any bills are going to make it through to a vote before the holiday recess and if the lack of a hard December deadline has anything to do with the tense gridlock. Finally, with the Iowa Caucus less than a month away, they chat about the upcoming presidential election and prepare for the chokehold it is going to have on most of the political focus for 2024.
RCP's Sean Trende is back to discuss his latest piece, a reminder that the former President is better positioned to win not just this cycle, but ever. The gang breaks down what it means to say "Trump can win," and why it draws such a heated response.
Josh, Paul, and Liam break down Tuesday's election results with Split Ticket partner Lakshya Jain. They gang discuss the process that yielded that site's deadeye accuracy, Lakshya's takeaways from the off-year campaign, and what these results can tell us about the 2024 election.
Josh, Paul, Caitlin, and Liam sit down with Mike Warren, Senior Editor of The Dispatch, to discuss Speaker Mike Johnson’s first two weeks, the return of Steve Bannon as a MAGA svengali, and the struggles of GOP primary challengers to break through against former President Trump.
Liam and Josh are once again joined by PRG Senior Counsel and Capitol Hill expert Joe Brazauskas to close out the democracy-induced chaos that was the process of electing a new Speaker of the House. They chat about how we came to the Johnson conclusion and what this new leader of the House should be looking out for in the short and long term.