The Lobby Shop

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.

Political analyst Sean Trende discusses how Trump may win future elections, analyzing polling data, Trump's visibility, and potential strategies for the Biden campaign. The podcast also explores the impact of Trump's trials and predicts outcomes for congressional elections.