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Bayer lobby tracker · U.S. Right to Know articles

Federal disclosures show Bayer reported spending $9.19 million on lobbying Congress and the executive branch in 2025, which includes fees paid to at least 13 outside lobbying firms. As of the fourth quarter of 2025, 45 lobbyists were registered to lobby for Bayer under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. Here we list the 13 firms registered to lobby for Bayer and the company’s in-house lobbyists. Registered lobbyists for Bayer appear in red.  In an effort to understand Bayer’s influence with the Trump administration, we also reviewed the leadership of Bayer’s lobby firms to look for ties to Trump; these are highlighted in yellow. Unless otherwise noted these firms lobbied for Bayer for all of 2025.See our analysis, Tracing Bayer’s ties to power in Trump’s Washington; From lobby firms to top officials, a look at how Bayer built access and secured favors<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nbsp-ballard-partners"> <a href="https://lda.senate.gov/filings/public/filing/8f8e045f-f3bc-4b7c-bca8-08c780424780/print/">Ballard Partners</a></h2>Brian Ballard, Founder:Key Trump campaign fundraiser (“bundler”), reportedly raising <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/07/us/politics/trump-lobbyists.html">over $50 million</a> for the 2024 campaign. Served on Trump’s 2024 inaugural and transition finance committees. Previously represented the Trump Organization as a Florida lobbyist. His firm employed Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Attorney General Pam Bondi as partners/lobbyists. Ballard is also registered to lobby for the <a href="https://lda.senate.gov/filings/public/filing/1d32a2e2-354e-4012-97b8-18eacb9db5ba/print/">American Chemistry Council</a>.Daniel McFaul, Managing Partner:Served on Trump’s 2016-2017 presidential transition team. Previously worked as legislative director for Rep. Joe Scarborough (R-FL), and chief of staff for Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL). McFaul is also registered to lobby for the <a href="https://lda.senate.gov/filings/public/filing/1d32a2e2-354e-4012-97b8-18eacb9db5ba/print/">American Chemistry Council</a>. Mike Rubino, Partner:Senior advisor on Trump’s 2016 campaign where he directed operations in 10 states. He was appointed as a senior official at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2017 in Trump’s first term.   Hunter Morgen, Partner:Special assistant to the President, senior advisor for policy and strategy in the first Trump White House; principal deputy to Peter Navarro and Stephen Miller. Policy advisor at the State Department in the Office of Policy and Planning. Previously worked on the Trump 2016 campaign and transition team. In 2020, Trump appointed Morgen to the Presidential Council on Improving Federal Civil Architecture.  He was the Trump 2024 campaign’s State Director for Mississippi and Advisor for DC Outreach.William Russell, Partner:Special assistant to the President and deputy director of presidential advance and trip director in Trump’s first term. He was the aide responsible for Trump’s daily travel and logistics for nearly four years. He also worked on Trump’s 2016 and 2024 campaigns. He worked on Trump’s 2016 campaign and was later appointed to USDA as advisor to the office of the under secretary of Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mercury-public-affairs"><a href="https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/4cf0fdb7-6e47-4605-bbf9-e2c94930fdbf/print/">Mercury Public Affairs</a> </h2>Registered August 2025Bryan Lanza, Partner:Communications director for the Trump transition team in 2017; deputy communications director for the 2016 Trump-Pence campaign. Lanza has often appeared on cable news shows and has been cited as a senior advisor to the 2024 Trump campaign and transition team.John Lonergan, Partner: Political background includes stints on the campaigns of Gov. George Pataki (R-NY) and the National Republican Senatorial Committee specializing in research, polling and messaging. Brian Hughes, Partner:NASA chief of staff from May to December 2025. Deputy national security advisor for strategic communications at the White House. Senior advisor and Florida campaign director Trump 2024. Communications director Trump-Vance transition team. Danielle Alvarez. Partner: Senior advisor for the Trump 2024 campaign and worked on communication strategy for the Trump-Vance transition team. During the 2022 midterms, she was communications director for the Republican National Committee, and served as communications director for the southern gulf region for Trump’s 2020 campaign.<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-venture-government-strategies"><a href="https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/b3a8d9ab-e12b-4778-ab29-8c15a08dc0d1/print/">Venture Government Strategies</a></h2>Robert Hobart, Partner: Earlier in his career worked as deputy chief of staff, appropriations associate staff and legislative director for three Republican members of Congress. Hamilton Bloom, Partner: Republican subcommittee staff director and clerk for the Senate Appropriations Committee on  Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies 2019-2021. Legislative assistant to Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL). Will Brewster, Senior Director: Policy advisor for economic development for Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA). Legislative assistant to Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) for five years.  Jonathan Blum, Senior Vice President:He held several senior roles within the U.S. Department of the Treasury during both Trump terms. He was deputy assistant secretary for legislative affairs (banking and finance) from 2018 to 2021. He returned to the Treasury in January 2025 as principal deputy assistant secretary for legislative affairs and served as acting assistant secretary through much of 2025 before joining Venture in December. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-todd-strategy-group"><a href="https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/e03c39cd-9bf8-4f93-9332-3e6ca308ad25/print/">Todd Strategy Group</a></h2>Nicholas Uhelecke, Principal: Senior advisor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services during the first Trump administration (2019–2021). Professional staff and senior legislative assistant, House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, 2011-2019. Ted Lehman, Principal: Former chief of staff to Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC). Chief counsel for nominations and senior counsel for then-chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA). Counsel on the Judiciary Committee for former Ranking Member Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL).  Paul Edattel, Principal: Chief counsel for House Energy and Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee (2016-2018), assistant to Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH).Daniel Todd, Principal and Founder: Senior health counsel for the Senate Finance Committee (2011-2014); special assistant CMS Office of the Administrator, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2003-2005).Eric Bergren, Principal: Chief of staff for Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) (2009-2021). Chief of staff and legislative director for Rep. Ron Lewis (R-KY) (2004-2008)Katherine Fleming, Associate: Legislative assistant, legislative correspondent and staff assistant to Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) (2016-2022)Peter Oppenheim, Principal:General counsel, Senate HELP Committee (2019-2021). Trump-appointed assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Education (2017-2019). Education policy director and counsel to the Senate HELP Committee (2013-2017). Legislative counsel, U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) (2011-2013).Taylor Sexton, Principal:Senior advisor to the assistant secretary for preparedness and response (ASPR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2020-2021).<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-holland-amp-hart"><a href="https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/1a180256-e9bb-4722-a5d4-2918835074ac/print/">Holland & Hart</a> </h2>Registered April 2025Andrew Wheeler, Partner and head of federal affairs:Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Trump’s first term (2019–2021). He served as acting administrator of EPA in 2018 and 2019, and prior to that as deputy administrator from April to July 2018. Troy Lyons, Senior director of federal affairs:Associate administrator for the EPA Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations (2017–2019) and EPA senior advisor to the administrator for external affairs (2019), serving under EPA Administrators Wheeler and Scott Pruitt. He was EPA’s chief liaison to Congress, the White House and state governments and he managed the confirmation process for EPA nominees in Trump’s first term.Jennifer Scheller Neumann, Of counsel:Served for over 20 years and held every leadership rank within the appellate section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENDR) in the U.S. Department of Justice, most recently as chief in charge of directing litigation and appeals involving nearly every major environmental and natural resources statute and representing a broad range of federal agencies. She departed the DOJ in May 2025 and joined Holland & Hart. Amelia Yowel, Of counsel:Appellate attorney in the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) in the U.S. Department of Justice (2019–2025). <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-invariant-nbsp"><a href="https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/6baf16c2-e7ea-47d0-ba11-9d15be185d1c/print/">Invariant</a> </h2>Ken Barbic, Principal, Food and Agriculture Practice Group: Assistant secretary for congressional relations at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (2018–2021).  Anne MacMillan, Chief Strategy Officer: Deputy chief of staff to USDA Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and senior policy advisor to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).Amy Swonger, Principal: Director of legislative affairs and assistant to the President, White House (2020–2021). Deputy director of legislative affairs and deputy assistant to the President (2017-2020).Jordan Bonfitto, Director: Senior advisor to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and chief of staff for USDA’s marketing and regulatory programs. (February to October 2025). During the first Trump administration, he held senior roles at USDA and the White House National Economic Council.Morgan Viña, Principal: Chief of staff for international security affairs at the Department of Defense (2019-2021). Chief of staff to Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki R. Haley (2017-2019). U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations advisor to then-Chairman Bob Corker (R-TN).<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-capitol-counsel"><a href="https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/5cf73d0d-4178-4dc1-9de3-4623e861a4b2/print/">Capitol Counsel</a></h2>John Martin, Partner & head of health care practice: Principal associate commissioner for legislation at the FDA under Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. Previously served as legislative director for Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), senior health policy advisor for Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR), and political director for Tommy Thompson for Senate. David Olander, Partner & tax practice lead: He was the majority chief tax counsel to the House Ways and Means Committee under Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI). Tax and policy counsel for Rep. Thomas Reynolds (R-NY).Clint Robinson, Partner: Appointed by former President George W. Bush to the role of associate administrator of congressional and intergovernmental affairs of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and served as senior staff to House Republican Leadership. Shannon Finley, Founding partner: Senior advisor and political consultant to Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) for eight years. Finance director to the Baucus 2002 re-election campaign and director of his PAC.  Jeffrey Carroll, Partner: Staff director for the House Energy and Commerce Committee under Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), also served as chief of staff for Rep. Pallone, Jr. and managed his campaign to become the senior Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee.  Former Senator Pat Roberts, Partner: Former Senator and Congressman from Kansas. He is the only person in U.S. history to have chaired both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. George Sifakis, Partner: Assistant to the President and director of the Office of Public Liaison (2017).  Served on the presidential transition team in 2016 and 2000. Worked as advance staff for former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.  Phil Hardy, Partner: Served on the committee to elect the President during the 2016 Trump campaign. Communications director and district coalitions director for Rep. Paul Labrador (R-ID) and worked as communications director and policy advisor for Lt. Gov. Brad Little (R-ID). <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bgr-government-affairs-nbsp"><a href="https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/3e80e4db-22f5-40f6-b279-a89ab9f84c8a/print/">BGR Government Affairs</a> </h2>Brent Del Monte, Principal & head of health and life sciences: Vice president for federal government relations at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), the biotech industry's main trade group for 10 years. FDA counsel at the House Committee on Energy and Commerce under Chairmen Tom Bliley (R-VA) and Billy Tauzin (R-LA). Remy Brim, PhD, Principal & head of health and life sciences: Senior FDA policy advisor to the Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA). Health policy advisor to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) from 2013-2016.  John Stone, Principal, FDA & public health: House Energy and Commerce Committee staff for nearly seven years, first as a counsel on the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee and then senior counsel on the Health Subcommittee (2011-2017). Worked for Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) for seven years.Joel Bailey, Vice President: Chief of staff to Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) until 2021. Prior to this role, Bailey spent over a decade working in various Congressional offices. David Urban, Managing Director: Senior advisor to the 2016, 2020, and 2024 Trump campaigns. Appointed by Trump to serve as the 11th chairman of the American Battle Monuments Commission and as a trustee to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Chief of staff to Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) from 1997 to 2002. William Crozer, Practice head & principal: Special Assistant to the president and deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (2018-2021). Before joining Trump’s White House he was a vice president at BGR Group (2013-2018). He previously served in Gov. Nathan Deal’s (R-GA) office of the executive counsel and was a major donor club director for the Republican National Committee (2007-2009).Joseph Lai, Principal: Served in the White House as special assistant to the president for legislative affairs (2017-2019). He was a key White House liaison to the Senate, leading the outreach and vote-counting efforts to confirm Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, as well as appointees to the Federal Reserve and the Cabinet. He also helped pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the USMCA trade agreement.   Kirsten Madison, Senior vice president: Assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs (2018-2021). She has also held many other advisory roles for government leaders for 20 years. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-akin-gump-strauss-hauer-amp-feld-nbsp"><a href="https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/b5a558c3-d3a3-449f-9d76-b84b70ba3aca/print/">Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld</a> </h2>Lynn Tjeerdsma, <a href="https://disclosurespreview.house.gov/ld/ldxmlrelease/2025/RR/301821377.xml">Consultant</a>: Two decades as a top advisor to Senator (now Majority Leader) John Thune (R-SD). Assistant deputy administrator for farm programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (2008-2011).David Schwietert, Senior policy advisor: Spent over 15 years as a primary aide for Senator (now Majority Leader) John Thune (R-SD). Legislative director for Thune (2006-2013). Staff director for the Senate Commerce Committee during Thune’s tenure as chair and ranking member (2013-2015). Geoff Verhoff, Senior advisor: Served on the Trump-Pence victory finance leadership committee 2017-2021 and was the vice chair of the RNC Finance Committee in those years. Previously worked for Sen. William Roth Jr. (R-DE) during Roth’s tenure as chair of the Senate Finance Committee. Kelly Ann Shaw, Partner: Deputy assistant to the President for international economic affairs and the U.S. lead negotiator (Sherpa) for the G7, G20, and APEC (2018-2019). Prior to the White House, she was Republican trade counsel to the House Committee on Ways and Means Committee and assistant general counsel for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Anna Abram, Senior advisor: Deputy commissioner for policy, legislation and international affairs at the FDA (2017-2021). Health and policy director and senior advisor to Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) and worked at the Senate HELP Committee (2009-2017). Associate director at the White House Domestic Policy Council (2007-2009). <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-russell-group-nbsp"><a href="https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/399c0953-589a-46ea-a586-b419d9147150/print/">The Russell Group</a> </h2>Randy Russell, President and CEO: Widely recognized as one of D.C.’s most influential agricultural lobbyists, with decades of experience in key agricultural positions including chief of staff for Secretary of Agriculture John Block, deputy assistant secretary for economics at the USDA, and 1981 Farm Bill coordinator. He was the architect of the Coalition for Safe And Affordable Food, an industry front group that opposed labels on GMO food, and he led the industry effort to pass the national “disclosure” standard (DARK Act) that preempted Vermont’s GMO labeling law.Andrew Harker, Principal: Harker managed the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food, an industry front group that opposed labels on genetically engineered foods. Ashlee Johnson, Principal: Served on the Senate Agriculture Committee under Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and staffer to former Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR). Joined the Obama administration in 2011 and held multiple roles at USDA including White House liaison, chief of staff to the deputy secretary and policy assistant for the White House Domestic Policy Council. Jessica Schulken, Chief advocacy and external affairs officer: Professional staff member for the Senate Appropriations Committee on the Agriculture Subcommittee and later staff director (2001-2012). Worked for Sens Herb Kohl (D-WI), David Pryor (D-AR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Robert Byrd (D-WV), Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT).<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hb-strategies"><a href="https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/caaa0903-efa8-4ffc-b4de-08f78ed30608/print/">HB Strategies</a></h2>Gregg Hartley, Co-founder, chief operating office, executive vice chairman: Recognized as one of the “Top Hired Guns” in Washington by the Hill newspaper. Staffer and advisor for 18 years to Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO), former House Republican Whip and Senator. Eric Lausten, Director, managing principal: Congressional staffer for 16 years most recently as chief of staff to Rep. Daniel Lipinsky (D-IL).<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-washington-tax-and-public-policy-group-nbsp"><a href="https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/0adc7bcc-24ec-4ba4-ab7a-9f79c281f0cf/print/">Washington Tax and Public Policy Group</a> </h2>James “Max” Pedrotti:As a campaign operative for the South Carolina Republican Party, he worked on election campaigns for Trump and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Deputy chief of staff, legislative director and senior assistant roles to Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV) (2021-2023).Greg Nickerson: Staff director for Rep. Jim McCrery (R-LA) and tax counsel to Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA) and on the House Ways and Means Committee, 2001-2005.Zach Price: Staff Assistant to Senator Dan Coats (R-IN) 2016-2017.<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-peterson-group"><a href="https://lda.senate.gov/filings/public/filing/52870fce-4834-43d2-aa39-2c027e6955dc/print/">The Peterson Group</a></h2>Collin Peterson, President and Founder: Congressman (D-MN) from 1991-2021, and chairman and ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee from 2005-2021. Elliott Peterson, Director of government affairs: Treasurer, election compliance manager and off-year campaign manager for Rep. Collin Peterson’s re-election campaigns from 1999-2021; and fundraiser and campaign staffer for his father’s campaigns from 1989-1992.  Allison Stock, Vice president, communication and public affairs: Rep. Collin Peterson’s chief of staff from 2015-2021 and former communications director. She directed Peterson’s campaigns for Congress five times.<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bayer-in-house-lobbyists"><a href="https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/00b6826e-3c4a-4bac-81a4-7cc018533b21/print/">Bayer in-house lobbyists</a></h2>Michael Holland: Director, Government Affairs: Legislative counsel from 2009-2011 to Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), the current CEO of Trump Media & Technology Group.Michael Parrish: VP, Public Affairs, Science & Sustainability: Parrish has more than 20 years experience in key government positions including multiple roles at the Department of Justice and the State Department and as advisor and executive assistant to Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA).Stephanie Murphy: Senior Director, Corporate & International Government Affairs: She served as the director of agricultural affairs at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) under Obama. Erick Lutt: Director, Federal Government Affairs: Before Bayer, he spent a decade as a lead policy expert at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). James Travis: Senior Director, State Government Affairs: Travis worked at Monsanto for 15 years since 2003 before joining Bayer. Prior to that role he was senior legislative assistant for agriculture and water resources for Rep. Cal Dooley (D-CA) Brian Nagle: Senior Director, Federal Relations & Policy: He previously served as legislative director for Sens. Kay Hagan (D-NC) and Fritz Hollings (D-SC).