The Wolves of K Street Podcast

John Leganski had a behind-the-scenes view of the epic battle for House Speaker when he worked as a top aide to Kevin McCarthy. In his new book, “Glory, Grief and the Gavel,” Leganski takes readers inside the tumultuous days that lead to McCarthy’s victory. In this edition, Leganski tells us all about his book -- and what it takes to win the most arduous election in American politics.

Riva Levinson joins us to talk about the 10-year anniversary of her book, “Choosing the Hero.” In our interview, Levinson tells us about her memorable start in Washington at the infamous lobbying firm Black, Manafort & Stone. There she first met met Paul Manafort and Roger Stone – and she shares some stories you won’t want to miss…

Super PACs have given billionaires unprecedented control over U.S. elections. A little over a decade ago, the wealthiest Americans contributed just 0.3 percent of the money in American elections. Today, billionaires account for 20 percent of the money. Harvard Professors and campaign-finance lawyer Larry Lessig joins us to talk about how to change that. Lessig also says the Supreme Court’s infamou...

Chris Jones joins us to talk about efforts by smaller companies to use antitrust policy in Washington to create more competitive markets. Jones runs a lobbying firm and an industry association that are together working to advocate for people and companies on the wrong side of the erosion of antitrust laws, including independent grocery stores, community pharmacists, farmers, and small businesses....

Bloomberg reporter Ted Mann tells us how J.D. Vance’s efforts to enact new  railroad safety regulations shows how he is positioning himself for the 2028 presidential election. Despite the opposition of most Republicans in Congress, Vance is trying to enact a sweeping package of regulations that he believes will make the railroad industry safer. Why is Vance trying to impose new regulations on a ma...

Sam Neel is one of small group of Washington lawyers who business executives turn to for help when congressional investigators come calling. Sam Neel talks with Luke and I about what to do when corporations find themselves in the crosshairs of congressional oversight investigation – something that many companies will face if Democrats win control of the U.S. House in the November elections.

An Easter Sunday tip. A stakeout in Kalorama. U.S. Marshals arrive. Luke Mullins describes witnessing the armed raid of Jim Courtovich’s house.

Crypto companies have become major players in today’s elections. The industry is re-writing the playbook for corporate influence in elections by using super PACS to spend tens of millions of dollars to help elect candidates they support – and defeat those they oppose. We talk with star Bloomberg reporter Emily Birnbaum about the crypto industry’s strategy – and whether it is working.

“If you don’t approve this settlement, I will destroy you. I will destroy your job at the DOJ.” That’s what a top Republican fixer told Donald Trump’s chief antitrust enforcer last year, according to an explosive recent story in The Wall Street Journal. In this episode of The Wolves of K Street podcast, Luke and I talk with one of the authors of the story – Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Rebecca...

Geoff Embler joins us on The Wolves of K Street podcast to uncover the secretive world of opposition research. Embler calls opposition researchers the ultimate “content creators” of political campaigns who are responsible for finding stories and developing narratives that define political opponents, business rivals and other adversaries.   “Good opposition research is the mother’s milk of a succes...

Former Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer joins us to talk about the unintended consequences of Jan. 6 for American businesses, the rise of super PACs and a new financial-services coalition he's running. Luetkemeyer explains how key changes in how lawmakers pay fo their reelection campaigns has incentivized Republican and Democratic lawmakers to become more extreme – resulting in the fraying the pro-business...

Brody and Luke sit down with lobbyist-turned-author Tom Collamore to talk about his new book, Don’t Tell the President, which documents the highs and lows of the anonymous life of presidential advance men (and women). Collamore tells us about his hilarious and insightful book – and shows how presidential advance underscores the importance of loyalty in politics. He also describes the behind-the-sc...

Brody and Luke introduce the final two members of the most success political and lobbying shop of the Ronald Reagan-era -- Black, Manafort, Stone & Atwater. Charlie Black and Lee Atwater were two southern Republicans from the Carolinas. What were they like? Let’s hear it from Roger Ailes, the former Richard Nixon aide turned Fox News Chairman: “Charlie’s the kind of guy who if he came home and...

Brody and Luke dive into the making of Chapter 3 of The Wolves of K Street – the rise of Paul Manafort and Roger Stone. We unpack the opening of the chapter at the funeral of Lee Atwater, an event that drew the glitterati of the Grand Old Party and demonstrated the importance their firm, Black, Manafort, Stone & Atwater. We show how Paul Manafort and Roger Stone rose from their blue-collar roo...

What’s it like for press secretaries working for Republicans in Washington who are constantly attacked by a hostile media? How do they get their message out when reporters are beating them of the head? We talk with Jonathan Grella, former spokesman for “The Hammer” – Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas. Grella tells us about being in the foxhole, sparring with reporters like John Bresnahan, Mike Allen and oth...

“The scariest moment you will ever have in life is when the FBI knocks on your door and says they have some questions about your behavior.” That’s Phil Elwood, a veteran of Washington's “dark arts” industry. On this week’s edition, Elwood talks about helping Qatar kill the U.S.’s bid for the 2022 World Cup, partying with the son of Muammar Gaddafi (his client) in Las Vegas and hurrying his wife ou...

Lobbyists and trade association chiefs are supposed to have access to important policymakers in Washington, from key members of Congress to White House officials. That's especially truewhen Republicans are in charge. So what happens when you have a populist president in the White House who doesn't want to talk to lobbyists and trade associations? Corey Rosenbusch, the president of The Fertilizer I...

Donald Trump is forcing a fascinating change in corporate advocacy. For decades, companies and industries relied on their Washington lobbyists and trade associations to lead their influence efforts. But Trump doesn’t like talking to lobbyists and trade association chiefs. Trump wants to skip the middleman and go right to the CEO. That’s required CEOs to take on a new and sometimes uncomfortable ro...

Donald Trump had the head of the Teamsters speak at the 2024 Republican Convention. He’s named some pro-labor officials to his administration. And an increasing number of Republicans in Congress are supporting pro-union legislation.   Is the Republican Party becoming more pro-union under Donald Trump?

Donald Trump has fundamentally changed the way government power is held in Washington.   He's concentrated more authority in the White House than at any point since Watergate more than a half-century ago. In this episode, we example how Trump plans to expand his grip in a new area – corporate mergers – by making himself a key decision-maker in the fight between Netflix and Paramount over ownership...

Congress is always trying to clean up Washington and fix the system.  But every attempt at reform has created unintended consequences.  In this episode, we discuss how efforts to get big money out of politics has hurt the Republican and Democratic parties, opened the door to the influence of billionaires -- and hurt our democracy.

Paul Manafort, Hunter Biden and the rise of foreign lobbying. Brody and Luke Mullins interview New York Times reporter Ken Vogel about his new book, "Devil's Advocates."

After 50 years of watching government regulations expand into their businesses, U.S. corporations mount an offensive in Washington in the mid-1970s. We break down a pivotal turning point: The industry effort to block a key government agency from regulating TV advertisements for sugared cereal. The lobbying campaign was led by the infamous lobbyist Tommy Boggs, who used novel tactics, from using al...

Meet Tommy Boggs, the first lobbyist of the modern era. Boggs was a cigar-chomping Southerner who redefined how the lobbying game was played in the 1970s and 1980s and founded Washington's preeminent lobbying firm, Patton Boggs.

We talk to former Trump White House aide Harrison Fields about how lobbying works in the age of Donald Trump. Harrison tells us what makes Trump a populist and breaks down the influence tactics work -- and those that don't.