Scoop: Parker administration taps high-powered law firm to lobby Trump
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The Parker administration is tapping a high-powered national law firm to lobby the Trump administration to support the mayor's "safer, greener, cleaner" agenda.
Why it matters: Lobbying is a part of most cities' playbook, but maintaining working relationships with the president and federal lawmakers could prove especially crucial for Philadelphia, which relied on $2.2 billion in federal aid last year.
Driving the news: Holland & Knight, a Florida-based law firm with a big footprint in Washington, D.C., has secured a new one-year, $150,000 contract with the city, city spokesperson Joe Grace tells Axios.
- The mayor's office publicly bid the contract earlier this year, saying it needs support and funding increases from the federal government to "assist the city in being the safest, cleanest, greenest city with economic opportunity for all."
- The contract description on the city's website stressed the need to foster "positive relationships with members of Congress and the president's administration, regardless of political affiliation."
The big picture: Unlike her predecessor, Mayor Cherelle Parker has avoided publicly clashing with President Trump — a cautious strategy that has caused consternation among some advocates and residents who want the mayor to forcefully denounce Trump's policies.
Between the lines: Parker doesn't appear to want to risk the city's overall future by criticizing the president on issues she can't directly influence, longtime political analyst Larry Ceisler tells Axios.
- Parker — who last month secured a $6.8 billion budget, raising city spending by nearly 7.5% from last year — "understands her lane as a mayor of Philadelphia," Ceisler says.
- "She is not getting distracted by all these other things that are going on around her."
State of play: Holland & Knight has served as a consultant for several Philadelphia administrations over more than a decade, Grace says.
- The firm has already tallied at least $30,000 in the first quarter of 2025 to lobby for the city on issues ranging from affordable housing and homelessness to city water regulation, per OpenSecrets.
- Philly spent $240,000 on lobbying under the Biden administration last year, with half of that amount going to Holland & Knight.
What they're saying: Holland & Knight has been instrumental in facilitating conversations with "key contacts within federal government or other cities or municipalities," Grace says.
- The lobbying firm declined Axios' request for comment.
While some critics might view the contract as unnecessary, Ceisler says it's an investment that could pay dividends later for Parker and the city.