Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies (CPS), the bipartisan government relations and communications affiliate of international law firm Cozen O’Connor, today announced the addition of Donovan W. Pepper as principal and director of national strategic partnerships.
“Moody’s Ratings said it may upgrade the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority’s debt after the state legislature moved to eliminate the public-transit system’s budget shortfalls,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.
“The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments in a Mississippi case that could have a major effect on Illinois’ efforts to promote voting by mail, as the high court is expected to decide whether such ballots, cast and postmarked on or before Election Day in a general election, can be counted afterward,” by the Chicago Tribune.
“As Congress moves toward ending the nation’s longest government shutdown, new cracks are showing within the Democratic Party between those eager to reopen the government now and those who say doing so without a health care fix would amount to surrender,” by WQAD.
“Darren Bailey is staying in the Illinois Republican primary race for governor following the deaths of his son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren in a helicopter crash, the former downstate legislator announced Monday,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Illinois is pushing back against federal claims that it improperly spent $30 million in Medicaid funds on immigrants in the country illegally, calling the accusation by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services head Dr. Mehmet Oz ‘misinformation,’” by Crain’s Chicago Business.
“Mayor Brandon Johnson is tweaking his proposed corporate head tax and further increasing the city’s lease tax in a bid to secure City Council approval of his 2026 budget as soon as next week,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.
“The Chicago Transit Authority board on Wednesday approved a 2026 budget with no service cuts, fare increases or layoffs, averting a feared doomsday scenario after the Illinois General Assembly came through with badly needed money to fill a transit budget gap,” by WTTW.
“The City Council got its chance to probe Ernst & Young’s report on the city’s budget today, but some grew frustrated by the firm’s consultant declining to weigh in on which spending cuts should have been included in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $16.6 billion 2026 budget,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.
“A progressive alderman allied with Mayor Brandon Johnson shouted questions at Gov. JB Pritzker in Little Village Tuesday over the governor’s opposition to Johnson’s proposed corporate head tax,” by the Chicago Tribune.
“Mayor Brandon Johnson is again turning to federal court to prevent President Donald Trump from withholding millions of dollars in grants to force Chicago to abandon diversity programs he derisively labels as ‘wokeness,’” by the Chicago Sun Times.
“Chicago Public Schools Office of the Inspector General is urging district officials to reform travel policies amid ‘questionable, excessive and even exorbitant’ spending on overnight trips, according to a report released Wednesday,” by the Chicago Tribune.
Despite the Democrats’ convincing performance in last week’s elections, the clear takeaway for next year’s midterms is that the victor will likely be whoever sells a more convincing narrative on addressing widespread discontent, particularly around affordability.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth discussed a new effort to reform the Pentagon’s procurement process in a speech on Friday.
Even as congressional leadership’s attention has been consumed by negotiations over the government shutdown, efforts to advance a series of key legislative priorities unrelated to government funding are continuing apace among rank-and-file lawmakers. Read the Cozen Currents here.
From Virginia and New Jersey to New York City and beyond, the 2025 off-year elections offered a glimpse into the political landscape heading toward 2026. What voter dynamics stood out most, and what trends could define the next midterms? Featuring Public Strategies’ Mark Alderman, Michael Acevedo, Julia Hammond, and Katie Schwab. Listen here.
Legislative Analyst
Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.
Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.
November 13, 2025
November 12, 2025
November 11, 2025
