The Lobby Shop

In this episode of The Lobby Shop, the team welcomes back Axios national political correspondent Alex Thompson, co-author (with CNN's Jake Tapper) of the explosive New York Times bestseller Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. Thompson shares the inside story of how he and Tapper uncovered internal divisions, strategic missteps, and high-stakes decision-making inside the Biden White House. Hear why Thompson believes this story goes beyond just one election—and why the questions it raises still demand attention. Whether you're deep in the weeds of politics or just trying to understand how we got here, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

In this episode of The Lobby Shop, Liam Donovan provides an update on the budget reconciliation process in Congress, and the team dives into the proposed House cuts to energy programs funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, proposed Medicaid reductions, and the ongoing debate over SALT deductions—along with the challenges the legislation faces in the Senate and a tight legislative timeline. Josh and Paul also examine the current state of the Trump Administration's tariffs, including the temporary easing of the U.S.–China trade war, multiple Section 232 investigations, and the complex policy landscape companies must navigate amid evolving tariff rules.

The Lobby Shop team turns their focus on the ongoing budget reconciliation process in Congress that will shape the Trump administration's economic agenda. Hosts Josh Zive, Paul Nathanson, and Liam Donovan provide a quick update on the latest tariff developments before diving into the reconciliation process and the shifting legislative dynamics between the House and the Senate. Then, Liam does a deep dive on how economic pressures are reshaping political strategy, and what it all means for government funding timelines and the looming debt ceiling. Tune in for a Liam-style breakdown of the often confusing reconciliation process in the next couple of weeks.  

CATO's Scott Lincicome—one of the most informed and outspoken voices on trade and tariffs—returns to The Lobby Shop to unpack the Trump Administration's recent wave of tariff announcements.  The group dives into the effectiveness of tariffs as a tool for reshoring manufacturing and addressing trade deficits, as well as the business community's relatively muted response.  Listen for an entertaining and insightful conversation with the always engaging Scott Lincicome!

In the aftermath of President Trump's “Liberation Day” tariff announcements, the Lobby Shop team breaks down the philosophy behind President Trump's new tariffs and the real world ramifications for both domestic and foreign policy. The team also examines reactions from the private sector and Congress, including the potential impact on the timing for the Republicans' plan to move forward on a tax package. With a multitude of scenarios playing out at once, the Lobby Shop team discusses the one question on many Americans minds: where do we go from here?

The Lobby Shop team is back and talking tariffs! Caitlin Sickles, Josh Zive, Paul Nathanson, Liam Donovan, and Dylan Pasiuk break down the latest developments in the ongoing tariff rollercoaster—separating the tariffs that have actually been imposed from those still being threatened, along with the retaliation from U.S. trading partners. They explore President Trump's rationale for using tariffs and threats of tariffs, highlighting key differences between those imposed during his first term versus his second. The team also examines the impact of these trade policies on various sectors, including potential conflicts between the Administration's tariff strategy and its energy agenda, as well as the challenges companies face with sudden cost increases disrupting their supply chains.

In the Lobby Shop's first episode of 2025, co-hosts Liam Donovan, Caitlin Sickles, and Dylan Pasiuk convene to analyze the political environment ahead of President-elect Trump's second inauguration. The group explores the challenges facing Speaker Johnson in a very narrowly divided Congress, the enduring influence of Trump on the Republican Party, and the Democrats' growing sense of resignation in legislative struggles. The discussion also highlights the ongoing confirmation hearings and the outsized role of figures like Elon Musk in shaping party dynamics. As they look ahead to the next administration, the hosts wonder what these developments mean for Republicans' leadership and direction.

In this episode of the Lobby Shop, hosts Liam Donovan and Josh Zive welcome Capitol Hill veteran Emily Domenech, Senior Vice President of Boundary Stone Partners and co-host of the Political Climate podcast. The crew delves into the intricacies of permitting reform, what the future of the Inflation Reduction Act looks like, and the new opportunities and challenges House Republicans face. Emily also emphasizes the pivotal role of NEPA reform in accelerating infrastructure development and the need for bipartisan cooperation to achieve meaningful reforms in the upcoming congress. Want to hear more from the lobby shop team and a veteran Capitol Hill expert? Then tune in!

The Lobby Shop hosts Josh Zive, Paul Nathanson, and Caitlin Sickles are joined by veteran Wall Street Journal manufacturing reporter Bob Tita to explore the potential impact of new tariffs on U.S. manufacturers under the incoming Trump administration. They also discuss the range of views among manufacturers on tariffs, the state of the U.S. steel industry after six years of Section 232 tariff protection, and the impact of tariffs on jobs. They also delve into the potential conflicts between the president-elect's trade policies and his energy independence agenda.  Tune in now!

The Lobby Shop team comes back together to analyze the recent election results and discuss what Trump's victory, along with a Republican trifecta, mean for the future of the party. With Trump securing decisive wins in all the key swing states and the popular vote, hosts Josh Zive, Liam Donovan, and Dylan Pasiuk break down shifting voter demographics and explore what a potential legislative agenda could look like in the upcoming term. Curious about the challenges and opportunities the GOP may face in Congress over the next two years? Then tune in!

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.

Paul and Liam are joined by PRG Senior Counsel and Capitol Hill veteran Joe Brazauskas to discuss the ongoing dysfunction in the House as Republicans seek a path forward to elect a Speaker.

We tracked Liam down between media interviews to get his take on the historic vote last night that ousted Speaker McCarthy. Liam, Josh, and Paul discuss the tensions within the GOP and with Democrats leading up to the vote, who has put their hat in the ring to be the next Speaker, and what this all means for issues such as funding for Ukraine.

Josh Zive and Caitlin Sickles sit down with Lobby Shop co-host, Republican strategist, and political insider Liam Donovan to talk about how Congress narrowly avoided a shutdown disaster … for now. Liam previews what will happen next as Speaker McCarthy faces challenges to his leadership from his own party. And the group considers how the whole cycle is set to repeat when government funding is slated to run out again … in just 45 days.

With vacations coming to an end and kids going back to school, Paul Nathanson, Joe Brazauskas, and Liam Donovan take a look at what's on the House and Senate to do list when Congress returns from its summer recess.  Issue one will be trying to avoid a government shut down, and the team discusses the ongoing appropriations battles and House Freedom Caucus demands. Tune in to also hear some initial thoughts on the state of the 2024 race for the GOP  presidential nomination.

It's our most popular episode of the year- catching up with our PRG Summer interns! Paul, Caitlin, and Josh, chat with our five amazing interns Anum, Emma, Margaret, Maxim, and Rio about their experiences in the PRG offices this summer. Great insights and tips about how to maximize Washington, DC internships and we also learn what the group really talked about in the internal intern chat

The Lobby Shop team is joined by guest David Lynch, Global Economics Correspondent for the Washington Post, who is just back from China where he covered US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellin's meetings with China's new economic leaders.  The team first discusses with David his reporting on new indicators about the state of the global economy and then turn to Yellin's meetings in Beijing and if the visit met even the modest goals set by the Biden Administration.  The conversation then turns to the view from Capitol Hill on US-China relations and the state of President Biden's efforts to secure supply chains and boost domestic manufacturing.  Plus, the team couldn't let David get away without his take on baseball's new pitch clock.

Paul and Caitlin are joined by friend of the podcast and third time guest, Alexander Kravtsov, a strategic communications consultant and founder of the public affairs firm Nexus Eurasia.  Alexander, a Russian native now residing in Europe and the United States, gives his perspective on the 24-hour coup led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, and his private military company, the Wagner Group. The team discusses Prigozhin's past, the reasons he rebelled and why it was resolved quickly, and the implications for Russia… and Ukraine. 

Josh, Caitlin, Paul, and Liam discuss the latest on the high stakes negotiations on raising the debt ceiling.  We then replay our earlier conversation with Rep. McCarthy's new Chief of Staff, Machalagh Carr.

The Lobby Shop team is joined by special guest Machalagh Carr, General Counsel to Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. Bracewell guest host Joseph Brazauskas joins as we discuss with Machalagh the Speaker's views of, and priorities for, congressional oversight and changes on how investigations are conducted under the new House leadership, the role and purpose of new House committees and other topics (including Joe's collection of Wendell Wilkie pins!).

The Lobby Shop team is joined by friend the pod Haley Byrd Wilt from The Dispatch who helps break down what to expect from the newly organized 118th Congress. The gang discusses Haley's reporting on the powerful Rules Committee, the new Select Committee on China Competition, and Liam and Haley's conversation with the New York Times' Ross Douthat on the simmering debt limit fight.

We welcome back to the podcast Myron Wasylyk, a Ukraine-based energy advisor and communication expert who we last interviewed just before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  On the first day of the war, Myron, a Ukrainian-American who has lived in Kyiv for three decades, evacuated his family to Western Ukraine.  Myron and his family recently moved back to Kyiv.  We spoke to him about what it's like living in a city under attack by drones and missiles, the resilience of the Ukrainian people, Ukraine perception of the Beltway debates on continued US military aid, the energy supply situation in Ukraine and the prospects for an end of the war in the coming year.

Josh and Liam break down the ongoing stalemate over the election of the next Speaker of the House, and the delayed start to the 118th Congress.

Now that the mid-terms are officially over with the Georgia run-off, The Lobby Shop team gathers to get inside Liam Donovan's brain.  We discuss with the Professor of Punditry why there was no red wave, the implications of a GOP-controlled House and the Dems controlling the Senate, the impact of a certain former President, and how the results impact the current lame duck session of Congress and the Biden agenda.

A special Election Day edition of The Lobby Shop!  Host Liam Donovan brings you one final PRG Pulse Check for the midterms, as he breaks down the state of play as Americans head to the polls. Liam explores the GOP leaning House, the Senate teetering on a knife's edge, and the bellwethers to watch in what is sure to be a drawn out aftermath. Finally, make sure to tune into PRG's post-election webinar tomorrow at 1130am ET to see what it all means for the policy landscape.

In the latest edition of PRG's Pulse coverage of the midterm battlegrounds, former Toomey for Senate campaign manager Peter Towey of GOP consulting firm Targeted Victory joins The Lobby Shop team for a Pulse Check on a state both parties have homed in on as the tipping point of the Senate majority. Towey breaks down the state of the race, explains the late resurgence of Dr. Oz, and tracks Pennsylvania's shift from Blue Wall stalwart to pure bellwether. The gang talks debate expectations, ticket splitting, and pinning down undecided voters with a seasoned pro who has run and won federal races throughout PA for more than a decade.

This week's episode is part of PRG's Pulse election coverage. Friend of the pod and veteran political journalist Jon Ralston of The Nevada Independent joins The Lobby Shop team for a Pulse Check on what is arguably the most pivotal Senate race in the country. The gang discuss the candidates, political dynamics, demographics, electoral history and more to shed light on why Jon's #wematter hashtag is more apt than ever.