Cozen Oconnor Public Strategies - The Beltway Briefing

From “Walking in a Biden Blunderland” to “Must be Santos,” the Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies team embraced the holiday season yet again with Christmas carol parodies, reflecting on 2023’s political and legislative challenges and sharing their hopes for the new year. Featuring CPS’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, Hon. Rodney Davis, Towner French, and Kaitlyn Martin.

The presidents of Harvard, Penn and MIT refused this week to declare in congressional testimony that calling for the genocide of Jews constitutes harassment under their codes of conduct. Their failure to do so supports the GOP narrative about biased institutions. Meanwhile, the economy continues to chug along but companies still struggle to find workers. Featuring CPS’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and Towner French.

The US House of Representatives expels New York Congressman George Santos. Meanwhile on the campaign trail, support continues to coalesce around Nikki Haley. To be seen as a strong alternative to the former president, Haley must master a balancing act between the party's conservatives and moderates. Featuring CPS' Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Towner French and Kaitlyn Martin.

In the midst of heated debates and elbows, Congress kicks the “government funding can” down the road by passing a laddered continuing resolution (CR), allowing the government to stay open over the holidays and punting funding negotiations into the new year. Looking ahead to 2024 retirements, redistricting and aspirations for higher office, Washington braces itself for high turnover and a competitive race for control of both chambers. Featuring CPS’ Patrick Martin, Towner French and Kaitlyn Martin.

On Tuesday, Democrats had major wins in Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, and New Jersey, centered on abortion access. Yet the blue wave appears to be leaving President Joe Biden behind – his low approval rating coupled with concerning polls has some Democrats questioning whether he is the party’s most viable candidate in 2024. Featuring CPS’ Howard Schweitzer, Patrick Martin, Kaitlyn Martin, Heidi Hertz, and Michael Acevedo.

As the new speaker moves forward with an Israeli aid package, antisemitism is spreading across the globe. Meanwhile in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, Donald Trump’s façade begins to crumble under the weight of mounting indictments, positioning Nikki Haley as a formidable alternative to the former president. Featuring CPS’ Howard Schweitzer, Patrick Martin, and Towner French.

A constitutional lawyer, cultural conservative, and all around “nice guy.” Meet the new Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson. As the House begins governing again, lawmakers must recognize how heightened political polarization leaves the nation vulnerable to national security threats demonstrated by Israel in the Oct 7th Hamas terror attack. Featuring CPS’ Howard Schweitzer, Patrick Martin, Hon. Rodney Davis, and Kaitlyn Martin.

As President Biden manages instability abroad, the House GOP Conference continues its search for a speaker. Featuring CPS’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Hon. Rodney Davis, and Towner French.

With government funding running out in less than 40 days, the House Republican Conference is scrambling to find a Speaker that can reach the 218-vote threshold. At the same time, the crisis at the southern border is intensifying, forcing the Biden Administration to continue fmr. President Trump’s border wall. Featuring CPS’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, Hon. Rodney Davis, Towner French, and Kaitlyn Martin.

Explore how Speaker McCarthy kept the government open and what to watch for in the coming weeks as the battle with the House Freedom Caucus, debate over Ukraine funding, and the fight over the Speaker’s gavel continue. Featuring CPS’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Hon. Rodney Davis, and Towner French.

The dysfunction of government shutdown and party in-fighting may only matter as much as the media is willing to cover it. At large, the American people are more concerned about the 2024 presidential election outcome. Featuring CPS’ Howard Schweitzer, Hon. Rodney Davis, and Towner French.

As the CPS team returns from August Recess, the Beltway is in a downward spiral with a looming government shutdown, a crisis at the southern border, mounting indictments for fmr. President Donald Trump and Hunter Biden, and a House impeachment inquiry into President Biden. Featuring CPS’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, Rodney Davis, and Towner French.

Explore the pros and cons of an aging federal government, the criminal entanglements of former President Donald Trump and Hunter Biden, and the glimmer of hope on the 2028 presidential horizon. Featuring: CPS’ Howard Schweitzer, Patrick Martin, and Rodney Davis.

Media coverage of political extremes and fringe politicos skews the American people’s perception of the federal government. With boomers passing the baton to the next generation, the nation has an opportunity to shift this narrative and select more aspirational leaders for the next chapter. Featuring: CPS’ Rodney Davis, Howard Schweitzer, Patrick Martin and Towner French

With the 2024 elections on the horizon and the August recess encroaching, the CPS team popcorns topics: Is Bidenomics a winning or losing 2024 campaign message? What’s the significance of the NDAA and what happened with the House Freedom Caucus this week? Does the Biden White House have a double standard with cannabis and cocaine? Featuring: CPS’ Mark Alderman, Rodney Davis, Towner French, and Kaitlyn Martin Interested in learning more? Follow Beltway Briefing and subscribe to our weekly political roundup for the C-suite, Cozen Currents, at rb.gy/8x107.

Public Strategies’ team of strategic advisors and partners share lobbying tips to be successful on Capitol Hill. Being an expert in your field is only part of the formula, understanding the importance of etiquette, finding common ground, and the interacting spheres of influence, will make or break you inside the beltway. Featuring: CPS’ Howard Schweitzer & Rodney Davis Interested in learning more? Follow Beltway Briefing and subscribe to our weekly political roundup for the C-suite, Cozen Currents, at rb.gy/8x107.

From the crowded 2024 Republican presidential field to the influence of media, Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies (CPS) discusses Trump’s most recent indictment and arraignment, and their impact on a potential 2024 Biden-Trump rematch. Featuring: CPS’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Rodney Davis, Patrick Martin & Kaitlyn Martin Interested in learning more? Follow Beltway Briefings and subscribe to our weekly political roundup for the C-suite, Cozen Currents.

After weeks of political impasse and tense negotiations, the Senate voted 63-36 to approve bipartisan legislation to raise the nation’s debt limit, sending the compromise bill to the White House ahead of a projected Monday default deadline. The result, at least until January 2025, will allow the Treasury to immediately resume paying bills with borrowed funds and it will impose spending caps on portions of the budget for two years. Public Strategies’ Mark Alderman, Rodney Davis, and Towner French discuss this truly bipartisan success and break down the final tallies in both chambers. Also, as former VP Pence is set to launch his presidential campaign on June 7, they also ponder what impact it will have on the growing 2024 Republican primary

President Biden, Speaker McCarthy, and other congressional leaders were scheduled to meet on Friday to talk about a possible deal to increase the borrowing limit and meet the GOP demand of reducing federal spending. But the meeting has been postponed until early next week. On Wednesday, in what was the first major television event of the 2024 presidential campaign, CNN hosted a prime-time town hall with Donald Trump, propelling a tsunami of criticism from inside and outside the network. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Rodney Davis, Towner French, and Kaitlyn Martin discuss the debt-ceiling fight gripping Washington and the renewed questions about how the news media should handle the challenge of covering the Republican Party’s leading candidate going into the 2024 election.

High prices, rising interest rates, stubborn inflation, and banking uncertainty be damned: the U.S. labor market is still chugging along. Employers added 253,000 jobs in April, a higher-than-expected number that suggested the labor market remains strong despite the Fed’s continued campaign to fight inflation. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Rodney Davis, Patrick Martin, and Kaitlyn Martin break down the latest jobs report and its impact on the overall economy. And, ahead of a looming June 1 deadline to raise the debt ceiling and avoid the first default in U.S. history, they also discuss what the White House and lawmakers are doing to revive the stalled debt-limit negotiations.