Author name: Jean Lee

The 119th session of Congress begins today followed 17 days later by the second inauguration of President Trump. Republicans will control Congress and the White House, but the slim margin in the House will be challenging to navigate for a restless GOP majority eager to enact an ambitious legislative agenda. As with any new presidential […]

Following last week’s elections, Congress returns to work in Washington before a targeted adjournment date of December 20th. Here are some initial thoughts about the lame duck session and the post-election political environment. Political Landscape Trump returned from the political dead with a resounding win, arguably the best performance by a Republican since Ronald Reagan’s

“Everything Old is New Again” –Peter Allen The last several topsy-turvy weeks in politics have been whiplash inducing, and perhaps the most over-used phrases now in American political analysis are “uncharted waters” and “unprecedented events”. But we remind everyone that despite the uncertainty surrounding the coming elections there are some things we already know –

We are excited to share a significant milestone in the history of Smith-Free Group! After nearly 30 years of growth, collaboration, and success at our 14th and K Street location, we are moving to a new office space at 1001 G Street NW. Our time at 14th and K Street has been marked by numerous

As we enter the summer of 2024, there seems to be a lingering unease and dissatisfaction in the country.  Inflation has eased statistically, but its effects are still widely felt, especially by those on the lower end of the economic spectrum.  This spring saw the most widespread campus unrest since the social upheaval of the

“Remember that Senate leadership elections are conducted by secret ballot, and that senators lie.” –former Sen. Jim Bunning Sen. McConnell’s announcement that he would step down as Republican Leader at the end of the 118th Congress signaled the start of the public phase of the campaign to succeed him. Candidates have been maneuvering behind the

As the political class braces for the official end of the Republican presidential primary and the beginning of the longest presidential general election in history, we offer these observations on the political and legislative state of play in Washington, D.C. Political Landscape Following a decisive win in the South Carolina primary, Trump is poised to

Following the results of presidential primary contests in Iowa and New Hampshire, more and more business executives are focusing on the possibility of a second Trump Administration. While it would be foolhardy to predict at this early date who is going to win what is shaping up to be another electoral nailbiter, we do have

Max Becker has joined The Smith Free Group, a well-known bipartisan K Street firm, as Vice President. Formerly at another advocacy firm, Becker is also a veteran of several House Republican operations. “Max is a terrific addition to our firm and already proven to be a great asset as we’ve geared up for a new

“This place is a pressure cooker.” –Speaker Mike Johnson After a relatively quiet holiday recess, Washington must rev up quickly.  The pace of the presidential campaign is accelerating, and Congress has reconvened only to face several imminent funding deadlines.  As the narrator used to say in television commercials for sports cars, we are about to