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High Seas Treaty must stop the lobbyists and bring the science
Campaigners warn fishing industry lobbyists are attempting to rewrite the High Seas Treaty in their favour — with days left of UN ocean talks.
Artificial intelligence is brought to you by these Florida lobbyists and political associations
AI giants quietly build powerful lobbying empires throughout Florida’s Capitol.
Hospital lobbyist thanks Collins while Mainers pay the price for expensive health care
Sen. Susan Collins released a new ad in late August featuring a wealthy former hospital lobbyist praising her record on health care. It’s really not surprising he’s endorsing her — because so much of Collins’ work has been in service of industry lobbyists’ goals for decades. We all know health care is obscenely expensive, and
Opinion | Politicians work for donors and lobbyists, not the electorate
“Who do they work for?'” The answer is simply the person who backs their campaign with the biggest donation…
Sarasota County commissioner’s husband paid $42K by lobbyist for developers
The financial relationship between Tallahassee lobbyist and Sarasota County Commissioner raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest under Florida ethics law.
Kalshi is losing Washington
Congress, the courts, the states, the leagues, and now the President's own circle have all landed in the same place at the same time: this isn't a market. It's a casino with a lobbyist.
Mayor Parker’s election put lobbyist William Dunbar at the center of Philly politics. Now he’s awaiting sentencing on tax fraud charges.
Parker let Dunbar go from her campaign in August 2024. Neither side has publicly explained what led to the separation.
Like Trump nationally, incumbent Colorado Dems lose sight of what matters to everyday people
My years as a high-level radioactive waste manager took me in and out of Washington, D.C. frequently during the 1990s. Following Newt Gingrich’s successful 1994 ouster of the Democratic majority in Congress, following their 40-year reign, I was surprised many Democratic lobbyists were willing to acknowledge privately Newt’s win was probably a good thing. There […]
Whitney Campbell Christensen Named Among North Carolina’s Leading Lobbyists by Business North Carolina and North Carolina Tribune
Ward and Smith is proud to announce that Whitney Campbell Christensen has been recognized as one of North Carolina’s top lobbyists in the inaugural Leading Lobb
Lobbyists and lawmakers mingle over luxury tequila, shrimp and cigars at capital party
Cigars, bourbon, free food and drinks. Welcome to the glitzy annual “back to session bash,” where special interests wine and dine lawmakers.
Washington’s most powerful drug industry lobbyist is stepping down
Steve Ubl built PhRMA into a more aggressive operation as its longtime leader. The White House has tangled with Ubl and the pharmaceutical industry in its bid to lower drug prices.
How cryptocurrencies are changing global politics
Despite once dismissing them, Donald Trump made over $1 billion from cryptocurrency sales last year. But the digital currencies, and their lobbyists, are having an effect on policy and politicians around the world.
What’s in Trump’s $3.4 Trillion Tax and Spending Bill: 2025 Reconciliation Act
The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act (S. 4668). Here's what the federal NIL bill means for revenue sharing, transfers, and state NIL laws.
WHO RUNS MARYLAND POLITICS NOW?
ByThe Maryland Wire The Machine Didn’t Die — It Broke Apart Mike Miller is gone. Steny Hoyer is retiring. The two men who helped define Maryland political power for generations are disappearing from the map. Nobody has inherited all of what they controlled. Instead, Maryland power has fractured among Wes Moore, legislative leaders, county organizations, federal figures and a new generation fighting to connect the pieces. By The Maryland Wire For decades, there were two names in Maryland politics that required almost no explanation. Mike Miller. Steny Hoyer. You didn’t necessarily have to agree with them. You didn’t even have to like them. But everyone understood something: Not social-media power. Not cable-news power. Not the temporary power that comes from one big election. They possessed political infrastructure. Relationships. Institutional memory. Donors. Staff. Allies. County leaders. Lobbyists. Legislators. Operatives. And the ability to connect people who needed something with people capable of delivering it. Today one is gone. The other is preparing to leave Congress after more than four decades. And Maryland faces a question it hasn’t had to answer in generations: The answer may be: Nobody. At least not the way Miller once did. Maryland’s old machine wasn’t inherited by one person. It fragmented. And now several ambitious political networks are competing to assemble the pieces. Miller presided over the Maryland Senate for 33 years, becoming one of the longest-serving legislative leaders in American history. He stepped down as Senate president in 2019 and died in January 2021. (Behavioral and Social Sciences) But Miller’s real power wasn’t the title printed on his door. It was the accumulation of relationships behind it. Miller came from Maryland’s old Democratic organization and developed into an extraordinarily adaptable political operator, retaining authority even as the Senate around him became younger and more liberal. (The Washington Post) He understood something fundamental: politics is information. Who wants what? Who owes whom? Which senator needs help? Which county executive wants something in the budget? Which committee chairman can move a bill? Which lobbyist represents which client? Which candidate should receive support today because that candidate could be a senator ten years from now? Miller knew the answers because he’d spent decades collecting them. Miller’s influence wasn’t confined to elected officials. Former Miller aides became prominent Annapolis lobbyists. Maryland Matters noted figures such as Joseph Bryce and Timothy Perry among the high-profile lobbyists who had once served as top Miller aides. (Maryland Matters) That was one of Miller’s greatest political achievements. He didn’t merely accumulate power around himself. He produced alumni. Staffers became lobbyists. Legislators became committee chairs. Allies became power brokers. And decades of relationships reinforced one another. By the end, Mike Miller wasn’t simply a person. He was an ecosystem. Hoyer’s network was different. Miller’s power was rooted in Annapolis. Hoyer connected Maryland to Washington. He served in the Maryland Senate before winning election to Congress in 1981 and ultimately became one of the longest-serving members of the U.S. House and a longtime No. 2 in House Democratic leadership. In January 2026, Hoyer announced that he would retire rather than seek another term. (The Washington Post) His influence stretched through: Prince George’s County, Southern Maryland, Congress, federal agencies, donors, campaign organizations, and generations of Democratic candidates. And Hoyer had something machine builders value enormously: a succession network. That became obvious almost immediately. When Hoyer announced his retirement, Maryland’s 5th Congressional District exploded with candidates. Twenty-four Democrats entered the race. But when the votes were counted, the winner was Adrian Boafo, Hoyer’s former campaign manager. Boafo wasn’t running without establishment help. He was endorsed by Hoyer. He was endorsed by Governor Wes Moore. And he ultimately won the Democratic nomination. (AP News) In his victory speech, Boafo described the result as voters deciding it was time to “pass the torch to a new generation of leaders.” (AP News) That phrase captures the transition perfectly. Hoyer’s seat isn’t simply being vacated. Parts of his network are being transferred. But they aren’t being transferred to another Steny Hoyer. They’re being absorbed into a newer political constellation. And standing prominently inside that constellation is Wes Moore. If someone forces you to name the single person sitting nearest the center of Maryland Democratic politics today, the answer is Governor Wes Moore. The 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary underscored the scale of his position. Moore won renomination overwhelmingly, receiving roughly 88% of the Democratic primary vote. (WBAL-TV) But raw votes tell only part of the story. Look at the party infrastructure. The Maryland Democratic Party says Steuart Pittman ran for state party chairman in 2025 “at the suggestion of Governor Wes Moore.” Pittman took office that July. (The Maryland Democratic Party) That’s important. Governors traditionally influence their state parties. But party leadership plus fundraising, endorsements, executive appointments and national relationships creates the beginning of something bigger: a political network that could survive the governor’s term. Moore also played a role in the Hoyer succession by backing Boafo. That’s how political organizations reproduce themselves. You support tomorrow’s politician today. And that’s the distinction that matters. Moore has enormous statewide visibility. Miller had decades of accumulated legislative control. Moore can endorse candidates. Miller could influence the environment in which legislators lived every day. Committee assignments. Leadership positions. Legislative priorities. Relationships that had been accumulating since before many current lawmakers entered politics. Moore may have a larger national profile than Miller ever possessed. But he doesn’t possess Miller’s half-century of Annapolis memory. Nobody does. Which is why the modern Maryland political structure looks less like a pyramid and more like several power centers connected by overlapping relationships. One of those centers belongs to Senate President Bill Ferguson. Ferguson controls an institution no governor can simply command. The Senate. Maryland’s official 2026 legislative records identify Ferguson as Senate President. (Maryland General Assembly) That means influence over: committee structure, Senate leadership, legislative priorities, confirmations, and negotiations with the House and governor. But Ferguson is not Mike Miller 2.0. Miller’s extraordinary longevity allowed him to become almost inseparable from the institution. Ferguson possesses the office. Miller possessed the office plus decades of political mythology and accumulated relationships. Those aren’t the same thing. The House now has its own new center of gravity. Official 2026 legislative records identify Joseline Peña-Melnyk as Speaker of the House of Delegates, alongside Ferguson as Senate President. (Maryland General Assembly) That makes the current Maryland governing triangle: Executive power. Senate power. House power. None fully controls the others. And that fact alone demonstrates how different modern Maryland is from the Miller era. The governor proposes. The legislature disposes. Committee leaders negotiate. County interests intervene. And political coalitions shift issue by issue. That’s not one machine. That’s a networked power structure. Then there’s U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks. Her significance isn’t that she is the new Hoyer. She isn’t. Hoyer spent decades constructing his network. Alsobrooks brings something different: Prince George’s County roots, a statewide electoral organization, a United States Senate platform, and relationships with national Democratic leaders. That makes her a critical bridge between Maryland and Washington at precisely the moment Hoyer leaves. Hoyer’s retirement therefore doesn’t necessarily weaken Prince George’s influence. It changes who carries it. Prince George’s itself is undergoing a dramatic generational transition. Official 2026 results show Aisha Braveboy winning the Democratic County Executive primary with 87,944 votes and 73.31% of the vote. (Maryland State Board of Elections) That’s political infrastructure. Prince George’s is one of Maryland’s central Democratic vote engines. A county executive with that level of primary support gains: appointments, budget influence, organizational relationships, donor access, and a platform for cultivating the next generation of political leadership. Braveboy therefore isn’t merely another person on the Maryland power map. She controls a place from which a political organization can be built. Boafo is particularly interesting because he sits almost perfectly at the intersection between the old and new worlds. He worked for Hoyer. Hoyer endorsed him. Moore endorsed him. Then Boafo beat an enormous Democratic field for Hoyer’s seat. (AP News) That doesn’t make him powerful on Hoyer’s scale. He’s just beginning. But it illustrates how power actually transfers: not through a ceremonial handoff, but through endorsements, donors, staff, relationships, and voter confidence. Boafo may become Hoyer’s congressional successor. He will not automatically inherit Hoyer’s 40-plus years of political capital. That part has to be rebuilt. This is the part that often gets overlooked. When a machine breaks apart, power doesn’t only move upward. Some people’s relationships become less valuable. Former Miller aides still know Annapolis. Former Miller allies still possess institutional memory. Veteran lobbyists don’t forget how legislation works. But something fundamental disappeared when Miller did: the common center. The person capable of connecting all of them instantly was gone. That changes the value of a political network. Imagine knowing everybody in Annapolis. Useful. Now imagine the person who introduced many of those people, appointed committee chairs, influenced Senate priorities and understood decades of relationships is simultaneously Senate President. Much more useful. Remove that person and the individual relationships remain. But the system becomes decentralized. First: Bill Ferguson. The Senate’s institutional relationships now run through his leadership rather than Miller’s. Second: the House leadership. With the Miller-Busch generation gone, today’s House leaders are building their own committee chairs, alliances and relationships. Third: Wes Moore. Moore became governor after Miller was gone. That distinction matters. Earlier governors had to operate with Miller sitting across State Circle. Moore entered office during a generational reset. Instead of negotiating with the old machine, he has the opportunity to help build the next network. Fourth: Angela Alsobrooks and the emerging Prince George’s generation. Hoyer is leaving. Miller is gone. The county’s political leadership now belongs to another generation. Fifth: politicians who were outside the old Miller organization. When someone dominates an institution for 33 years, inevitably some politicians develop within that organization and others outside it. Miller’s departure created room for people who may never have risen as quickly under the old structure. That’s the biggest point. If Mike Miller’s power had simply transferred to Bill Ferguson, Maryland would still have a machine. If Hoyer’s influence simply transferred to Boafo, Maryland would still have a machine. If every county leader simply took orders from Moore, Maryland would have a machine. None of those things happened. Instead: Moore controls the statewide executive platform. Ferguson controls the Senate. Peña-Melnyk controls the House. Alsobrooks has statewide and federal reach. Braveboy has Prince George’s executive power. Pittman leads the state Democratic Party after Moore encouraged him to seek the role. (The Maryland Democratic Party) Boafo represents the beginning of the post-Hoyer congressional generation. And Baltimore, Montgomery County, organized labor, donors and other county organizations maintain their own centers of influence. That’s not one machine. If you want to understand where Maryland power is moving, don’t simply watch office titles. Watch endorsements. Who does Moore support? Who does Alsobrooks support? Who gets Ferguson’s allies? Who gets House leadership? Who gets Hoyer’s blessing? Who gets labor? Who gets major donors? And most importantly: That is where the new Maryland network becomes visible. The Boafo race was a textbook example. Hoyer’s successor didn’t emerge randomly from 24 candidates. He had ties to the outgoing incumbent and support from the governor. The old network and the emerging one overlapped. And voters chose him. (AP News) Moore may ultimately become the most important person in determining whether Maryland develops another durable statewide political organization. But the test isn’t whether Moore himself remains popular. The test is what happens to the people he supports. Which delegates become senators? Which senators become committee chairs? Which county officials become executives? Which staffers become candidates? Which appointees become statewide leaders? Who gets his donor network? Who gets his political advisers? Who eventually gets his endorsement when Maryland faces a post-Moore gubernatorial succession fight? That’s how we’ll know whether Moore was merely a successful governor— or the founder of another generation of Maryland power. There’s another category worth watching: politicians who came from Miller’s Maryland but remain active in the new one. Dereck Davis is one. Anthony Brown is another. Veteran legislators and former officials throughout the state still possess old relationships that newer politicians don’t. These people can function as bridges. That’s important because political systems rarely reset completely. The new machine usually grows partly from pieces of the old one. Donors don’t disappear. Lobbyists don’t disappear. Operatives don’t disappear. Institutional memory doesn’t disappear. They find new centers of gravity. If you want one name: His overwhelming 2026 Democratic renomination, executive authority, national profile and influence within the Maryland Democratic Party make that difficult to dispute. (WBAL-TV) But saying Moore “runs Maryland” the way Miller once ran the Senate would oversimplify the reality. Maryland power today looks more like this: WES MOORE Statewide organization.Appointments.Fundraising.Executive government.National Democratic relationships. BILL FERGUSON The Senate.Committees.Confirmations.Legislative leverage. JOSELINE PEÑA-MELNYK The House.Committee leadership.Budget and legislative leverage. ANGELA ALSOBROOKS Statewide electoral organization.Federal platform.Prince George’s relationships.National Democratic connections. AISHA BRAVEBOY Prince George’s executive organization.County government.A major Democratic vote base. THE POST-HOYER GENERATION Boafo and the emerging political class that will have to rebuild Hoyer’s Washington-Maryland network rather than simply inherit it. It did something more interesting. Mike Miller’s influence was too personal, too old and too deeply rooted in his own relationships to be inherited whole. Hoyer’s network is too extensive and too intertwined with decades of congressional politics to fit neatly inside one successor. So the pieces are moving. Toward Moore. Toward Ferguson. Toward Peña-Melnyk. Toward Alsobrooks. Toward Braveboy. Toward younger candidates and new county organizations. And toward veteran political survivors who understand both eras. That’s the next chapter of Maryland politics. The person who eventually connects: Annapolis, Prince George’s, Montgomery County, Baltimore, labor, business, donors, the Maryland Democratic Party, and the congressional delegation will possess something Maryland hasn’t truly seen since Miller’s heyday. Not merely another elected official. And maybe that’s why searching for “the next Mike Miller” is the wrong exercise. There may never be another one. The more important question is: Miller spent half a century becoming that person. Hoyer spent decades becoming another version of it. Maryland’s current political leaders are still competing for the privilege. And until somebody actually connects all those pieces, the most accurate answer to the question “Who runs Maryland?” may be the most fascinating one of all: No one does. Not anymore. But there are plenty of people trying. Sources University of Maryland and Maryland Matters — Miller’s 33-year Senate presidency and political legacy. (Behavioral and Social Sciences) Washington Post historical reporting — Miller’s rise from Maryland machine politics and ability to retain power as the Senate evolved. (The Washington Post) Maryland Matters — former top Miller aides who moved into Annapolis lobbying and the changing Senate power structure. (Maryland Matters) Washington Post and Reuters — Hoyer’s January 2026 retirement announcement after more than four decades in Congress and his long Democratic leadership career. (The Washington Post) Associated Press — Adrian Boafo’s 2026 victory in the Democratic primary to succeed Hoyer, including Hoyer and Moore’s support and Boafo’s “pass the torch” remarks. (AP News) Maryland Democratic Party — Steuart Pittman’s official biography stating that he sought the state chairmanship at Moore’s suggestion. (The Maryland Democratic Party) Maryland General Assembly — official 2026 records identifying Bill Ferguson as Senate President and Joseline Peña-Melnyk as Speaker. (Maryland General Assembly) Maryland State Board of Elections — official 2026 Prince George’s County results showing Aisha Braveboy’s dominant County Executive primary victory. (Maryland State Board of Elections) 2026 election reporting — Moore’s overwhelming Democratic gubernatorial primary victory. (WBAL-TV)
Trump upended health care. Lobbyists are raking it in.
New disclosures show health industry firms and trade groups are spending more than ever to influence Washington.
Outgoing Maine hospital lobbyist says health costs can’t be stopped
Steven Michaud discusses Maine's healthcare affordability challenges, hospital changes, and the need for disease prevention and management.
Brian Ballard testifies he previously warned David Rivera's firm about disclosure concerns with Venezuela work
The prominent lobbyist testified against the ex-Congressman in a trial in South Florida.
Psychiatrists, psychologists spending more than other healthcare providers to lobby policymakers
Payments to lobbyists from healthcare providers fell 13% over a 10-year period ending in 2024. Yet lobbyist spending by one specialty—mental healthcare—rose by nearly 30%. What explains the against-the-current cash flow?
Rafe Pomerance, the Paul Revere of Climate Change, Dies at 79
An environmental lobbyist and activist, he was a pivotal figure in drawing public attention and political support to the existential issue.
White House, hemp lobbyists bet on shutdown politics to delay ‘diet weed’ ban
Lawmakers say the Trump administration is promising to use the one-month punt to work on new regulations.
Labor Day Weekend is brought to you by these Florida lobbyists and political associations
These are the people who help workers and labor unions get results in the Capitol.
Cornyn-Paxton Runoff Lures Lobbyist Money, Business Endorsements
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is missing support from President Donald Trump, but he has the backing of some of the nation’s biggest lobbying groups in his runoff against Ken Paxton.
Shumaker Advisors Federal lifts up with hire of Jodie Moxley-Ramos
The lobbyist boasts experience in aviation from time at Airbus and Ligado Networks.
Federal regulators invite industry, researchers, and lobbyists to closed-door meetings on clinical AI
Federal health officials invited tech companies and lobbyists to closed-door meetings as they seek to boost adoption of clinical AI.
‘It’s not a solvable problem’: Maine’s outgoing hospital lobbyist says there’s no fix for rising health care costs
As Steven Michaud leaves his long-time role with the Maine Hospital Association, he reflected on pivotal events during his tenure.
Back in the saddle: Nathan Fletcher returns to politics as a statehouse lobbyist
The organization advocates for access to psychedelic-assisted therapies. Fletcher is a Marine Corps veteran who has discussed his struggles with PTSD — and the benefits he experienced from psychedelic treatments.
Governor’s goal of getting Oregon on CNBC’s Top 10 States for Business is misguided
Not only are the CNBC rankings irrelevant, the goal could serve as a pretext for giving corporate lobbyists what they’re always after: tax cuts.
In politics: Hoyer votes a Hoyer-free ballot, Percy convicted, Schmoke steps down
Rep. Steny Hoyer votes for a congressional candidate not named Steny Hoyer, one-time Annapolis lobbyist Davion Percy convicted in federal court, and Kurt Schmoke sets a retirement date from the University of Baltimore, in political notes.
Prominent law firm registers as Bears’ lobbyist at Indiana Statehouse
An application for Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP was completed Wednesday with the Indiana Lobby Registration Commission, indicating the firm will represent CBFC Development LLC, an affiliate company for the NFL franchise.
Lobbyists and trade groups fight to shape how states regulate medical AI
Lobbying groups for doctors and hospitals and trade groups are working behind the scenes on how to regulate AI in medicine.
$88,600 Pictures With Trump and A.I.-Sponsored Suites: Republicans Schmooze in Dallas
Republican politicians, donors and lobbyists have been busy networking and partying on the sidelines of a midterm convention that is partly a fund-raiser.
Business booms as lobbyists push 'priorities' in EU capital
In the shadow of the EU Parliament in Brussels, under a grand white tent filling a museum garden, hundreds of lobbyists, officials and lawmakers hobnob as the cava flows.Those changes did not go far e...
Wealthy Former Hospital Lobbyist Defends Collins’ Poor Record on Health Care
PHOTO: Susan Collins with former Maine Hospital Association President Steven Michaud
Introspection required if EU Inc fails, says start-up lobbyist
European start-ups have a new voice in Brussels. Startups for Europe, created from the merger of lobby groups Allied for Startups and the European Startup Network, is hoping to harness the momentum behind EU-Inc, a campaign that united start-ups and investors behind demands for a new pan-European company regime.At a launch event for the new association in Brussels on October 1, the mood was remarkably upbeat compared to a typical Eurobubble gathering, more Silicon Valley than Schuman roundabout.When asked whether this reflects a feeling that Europe is on the right track, chief executive Serena Borbotti-Frison said it’s a “scary” moment as the continent looks to boost its competitiveness amid a new technological arms race.“What is at stake is quite intense, and the way we can answer is by delivering, but also with hope,” she told Science|Business. “It’s what our industry does. It’s not about identifying a pain point and then saying it’s too hard.”For many in the start-up community, that sense of hope is dwindling. In March, the European Commission presented its proposal for EU Inc, naming its initiative after the grassroots campaign.EU Inc was meant to be a gamechanger: the ability to incorporate within 48 hours for less than €100 and scale up across Europe; a harmonised stock option regime enabling start-ups to compete for talent; and simplified insolvency procedures for innovative start-ups to reduce the cost of failure.However, haggling by EU governments has raised concerns that EU Inc will be stripped of the very features, including stock option harmonisation, that are meant to make it attractive for companies.“I fear we are proving to ourselves that the model doesn’t work,” Borbotti-Frison said of the policymaking process. “Everyone agrees we should have EU Inc. Everyone agrees it’s hard to scale and we need to scale to answer the competitiveness [challenge], and still we cannot deliver? [. . .] What does that say about ourselves?”The Commission has made EU Inc a cornerstone of its single market reform, and has agreed with the European Parliament and the Council of the EU to target an agreement by the end of 2026. However, several points are currently holding up an agreement, including national rules around employee participation in management decisions, and the provision that employee stock options always be taxed at the point of sale. Some EU governments have reportedly pushed back on the Commission’s choice of legal basis, contending that anything related to taxation requires unanimity in the Council.Trade unions have also protested against EU Inc, fearing it will be exploited by companies looking to undermine workers’ rights.“If this doesn’t work, it’s introspection time, on the way our institutions work, maybe the way our lobbies work, and maybe the way the cooperation between them works,” Borbotti-Frison said.“Is it in the national interest? Is it a gap between political will and technical ability to operate? Is it speed? I don't know, but something needs to be fixed.”Ahead of last week’s European Council meeting, EU-Inc campaigners tried a new strategy: appealing directly to EU presidents and prime ministers. In an open letter, they urged EU leaders to “step in and give your negotiating teams a clear mandate to change course and reverse their objections to the Commission’s original proposal.”Lessons from EU-IncLike its predecessors, Startups for Europe will represent national start-up associations, but it is also targeting investors. The founding sponsors are venture capital firm Atomico and EQT, the investor selected earlier this year to manage the €5 billion Scaleup Europe Fund.It also wants to harness the knowledge and cross-border experience of European success stories. “Take the list of the 100 biggest unicorns in Europe. We are speaking to all of them,” Borbotti-Frison said. The association plans to publish a full list of supporters following the Slush tech conference in Helsinki in November.Andreas Klinger and Simon Schaefer, two key figures in the EU-Inc campaign, are both on the board of the new association, and Startups for Europe wants to take the lessons from their campaign.What was unprecedented about EU-Inc was “how rooted it was, and how strong it was in bringing everyone on board behind one clear pain point and solution to fix it,” Borbotti-Frison said. “This is an inspiration for us, and then we need to turn it into something more systematic, more bridged in Brussels, more connected to the policymaking game, and to scale it.”If it’s possible to unite such a broad coalition, it’s because the European start-up ecosystem is now mature, she said. “Maybe it was not ten years ago. Maybe it was not five years ago. But now, it’s mature to speak with one voice.”Open and liberal EuropeThe association plans to campaign on files related to three “pain points,” Borbotti-Frison said: “start and scale in Europe, fundraise and invest in Europe, and making Europe the most innovative continent.”As well as EU Inc, she cited public procurement, the EU’s simplification push, the Savings and Investments Union, and files related to AI adoption and technological sovereignty as priorities for the coming months.What these files have in common is that they relate not to subsidies but to the framework conditions influencing the availability of mostly private, or in the case of procurement, public, funding.Related articlesEmployee participation disagreement delays MEPs’ vote on EU IncCommission urges EU governments not to water down EU IncEU’s ‘ultra-fast’ €5B scale-up fund is set up to win, says its fund managerThe budget dispute over the next Horizon Europe programme will also impact start-ups, which are supported notably through the European Innovation Council. But EU innovation funding is a drop in the ocean compared to venture capital and public procurement budgets.“If competitiveness and innovation are a priority, then the [EU budget] should reflect it,” Borbotti-Frison said. However, she added that the main question is not how much public money is invested, but “how do we create the right conditions for the market to solve the problem?”The Scaleup Europe Fund mixes both approaches, using €1 billion in EU funding to crowd in private investors and address Europe’s lack of large-scale, late-stage growth funds. “It’s a proof of concept. Ideally, then the market will do it itself,” Borbotti-Frison said.Startups for Europe is also focused on bringing an alternative political narrative. Amid competing visions for open, global markets on the one side and a protectionist Europe on the other, it wants to offer “a third voice, to say we can be proudly European and build a strong continent in a liberal economy, open to the world, and global.”It can be tempting, when thinking about how Europe can better support innovation, to look across the Atlantic. But while it’s important to compare statistics to see where Europe needs to catch up, that’s where the comparison should stop, Borbotti-Frison said. “On everything else, we need to do it our own way. We don't have the same history. We don't have the same political model. We don't have the same way of life.”Many of the key files that could benefit the start-up community, including EU Inc and the Savings and Investments Union, rely on closer integration within Europe, making it easier to operate across borders.While the Commission has made deepening the single market a political priority, support at national level is more precarious. The coming months will see pivotal elections in Spain and France, while the German government has also been coming under pressure domestically. In each country, far-right parties have been gaining ground.When asked if she was concerned the political situation could jeopardise this progress, Borbotti-Frison responded: “Of course. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t.” However, she continues to believe that cooperation is the only way forward. “Doing it alone is not the solution. It’s also not who we are, it’s not the model we are building, and it’s not the scale we need.”
Opinion | Trade Uncertainty Is Bad for Business
The Trump administration’s failure to renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada pact in its current form is a gift to lobbyists and will discourage investment.
Wu-backed state Sen. candidate is Beacon Hill lobbyist, secured millions for nonprofit
A Democratic state Sen. candidate backed by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is a registered lobbyist who has secured tens of millions of taxpayer dollars for the nonprofit organization she works for.
Politics is not a spectator sport
Are you a political hobbyist or a political lobbyist? Maybe you’re a political atheist (someone who doesn’t believe in politics). There are probably other categories, but this is enough for one column. Andy Borowitz, a political satirist (another category) — best known for his “Borowitz Report,” short, fake-news, very funny dispatches — wrote a serious […]
Vote now for the 2025 Sloopys – Capitol Letter’s 8th annual Ohio politics awards
This year, we’re handing out awards in 28 categories to everyone from statewide officeholders and state lawmakers to staffers and lobbyists.
Group mocks Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen on $2.5M no-bid contract with $5,000 business grants
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, after criticism from opponents for the state budget, now faces mockery from a new group over the $2.5 million no-bid contract he steered to a lobbyist.
Dallas-Fort Worth business datebook for the week of Aug. 23
The Dallas Regional Chamber’s Young Professional Spotlight will feature Sarah Jackson, lobbyist for Texas region at Fidelity.
Exclusive: Chinese firm hired lobbyists with ties to Don Jr, then scored a win in Washington
A lobbying firm led by one of Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting buddies helped a Chinese company make its case to a U.S. national security watchdog against a U.S. startup that was seeking to have the Chinese firm removed as one of its investors, public filings show.
Propsal to limit lobbying in city of San Diego politics moves forward
The San Diego City Council’s Rules Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to direct staff to begin drafting a proposed ethics reform package aimed at lobbyists and dark money.
The End of Independent Federal Agencies Will Change Your Business
For executives, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Slaughter v. Trump will likely lead to less certainty and consistency for the regulated aspects of their businesses, with federal rules and their enforcement increasingly determined by political expediency rather than expert analysis. Specifically, there are five ways in which all U.S. businesses will be affected: regulation will become more informal and less transparent; consistency across administrations will disappear; oversight by Congress and the federal courts will be diminished; expert advice will be devalued; and politically-connected lobbyists will drive decision-making. In this environment, business leaders will need to plan accordingly, honing their ability to shift strategy, perhaps dramatically, after every election—and perhaps even during administrations.
Highland Towers’ $600,000 lesson in Tallahassee politics
Retirees caught between code ambiguity and construction lobbyists
Lobbyist tied to pardon from Trump charged with attempted extortion
Federal prosecutors charged a lobbyist with trying to extort a former client and his son to recover half a million dollars in debt, according to court filings.
ESA Lobbyist Calls Private Minecraft Servers Illegal During Hearing
The Entertainment Software Association's VP also stated the ESA considers private servers to be "piracy" during the Protect Our Games California State Senate hearing
CBIA adds 3 lobbyists with state government, political experience
CBIA hires Jack DeOliveira, Alannah Doheny and James Rocco to strengthen its advocacy on Connecticut business policy.
American Kratom Association lobbyist Mac Haddow on kratom regulation, science and why he calls it a life saver
As the federal government and states crack down on some kratom products, Mac Haddow joins ‘Untold’ to talk regulation and science.
Lobbyist, mayoral candidate John Kelly says Chicago has had enough of career politicians
Foulkes calls for ban on lobbyist donations during R.I. legislative session
The Democratic candidate for governor made the proposal on the day House Speaker Shekarchi is holding a fundraiser at the outset of the legislative session.
Pharma lobbyists focus on a surprising new target: the FDA
Lobbyists told STAT they believe the odds of approval go up if a decision can be spun as a win for the Trump administration.
Trump tries new tack against birthright citizenship after Supreme Court snub
President Donald Trump signed two executive orders targeting children born to foreign lobbyists and tourists. The orders are certain to face legal challenges.
The company behind ChatGPT hopes to win the national AI fight
As Washington dithers on AI safety, OpenAI’s top lobbyist is persuading blue states to pass laws that advance his plan for a national AI framework — and he says he’s just getting started.
Times Opinion: Corporations spend big in Florida politics
Before Florida's legislative session began in January, corporations, political committees and lobbyists showered the accounts of some of the state's most influential lawmakers with a fresh $14 million in a single day.
Reports show MD owed millions by providers, local health agencies
The Office of Inspector General for Health conducted almost 1,400 audits and investigations over the last four years that found more than $42 million in improper or unrecovered payments — they only recently were made public.
Chinese business hired lobbyist with ties to Don Jr, then scored a win
A lobbying firm led by one of Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting buddies helped a Chinese company make its case to a U.S. national security watchdog.
‘I crumbled’: Former Md. lobbyist launches podcast aimed at young adults navigating job loss, mental health
Juwan Blocker, a Prince George’s County native and former Maryland political aide, reflects on career loss, identity and purpose as he launches a new podcast for young professionals navigating uncertainty.