As Republicans gear up to pass the first major tax bill since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Citibank hired Ernst & Young LLP to lobby on issues related to international and corporate taxes, “including the application of U.S. international tax rules to the foreign earnings of U.S. banks.” Bob Schellhas, who was Citibank’s managing director and head of federal government affairs more than a decade ago, will work on the account.
Amazon also lobbied up on tax issues, signing PhronesisDC at the start of 2025. One of the lobbyists on the account is Brett Quick, who was previously staff director of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on National Security, International Trade and Finance.
Microsoft hired Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld to lobby on issues related to technology and artificial intelligence (AI). The software giant has a “strategic partnership” with the nonprofit OpenAI, and both are involved in the $500 billion Stargate project launched by the Trump administration to build the infrastructure to develop AI. Reginald Babin, former chief counsel to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), will work on the account.
PhRMA, the trade association representing pharmaceutical companies and players, hired HillNorth LLC to lobby on issues related to the industry. The lobbyist on the account is Doug Schwartz, who held various positions during the George W. Bush administration and was chief of staff of the Senate Republican Conference.
The superstore chain Meijer hired Venture Government Strategies to lobby on issues impacting the retail industry and pharmacy services. Former Rep. Benjamin Quayle (R-Ariz.) is one of the lobbyists on the account.
This is the first lobbying firm Meijer has signed since the mid-2000s, but the company’s co-chair and CEO Hank Meijer has waded into politics in the intervening period — including an $800,000 donation to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce days after it endorsed his son, then-Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.), in a contentious 2022 primary.
