Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, the bipartisan government relations and communications affiliate of international law firm Cozen O’Connor, today announced the addition of Braxton Plummer as principal in its Cherry Hill office.
“In their ruling Tuesday, the justices noted that federal law generally bars use of the military for law enforcement, and they declared that the law Trump used to activate the Guard is likely to apply only when regular armed forces — the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines — are insufficient to maintain order,” by Politico.
“A coalition of 19 states and the District of Columbia on Tuesday sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, its secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and its inspector general over a declaration that could complicate access to gender-affirming care for young people,” by the Chicago Tribune.
“The U.S. Department of Justice sued Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul over the state’s new law aimed at limiting immigration enforcement in courthouses,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Illinois’ statewide 1% grocery tax will go away on Jan. 1, though many people will continue to pay it at the local level,” by Capitol News Illinois.
“Mayor Brandon Johnson announced Tuesday he will not veto the 2026 budget passed by aldermen, conceding a historic struggle that reached the brink of a government shutdown and burned his goodwill with the City Council,” by the Chicago Tribune.
“Mayor Brandon Johnson is backing off a veto of the 2026 budget, opting instead to sign two executive orders addressing overtime spending and the potential sale of city debt,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.
“Chicago Public Schools will get $193 million more in tax revenue than was included in this year’s $10.2 billion budget after the City Council passed its own budget Saturday, declaring a $1 billion surplus Saturday from city tax increment financing districts,” by Chalkbeat Chicago.
“Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order Tuesday designed to prevent the Chicago Police Department from spending unlimited sums of taxpayer money on overtime after the Chicago City Council declined to approve his crackdown,” by WTTW.
In this holiday special, our hosts look back on the 2025 federal landscape the only way that feels appropriate, through seasonal song parodies paired with real-world anecdotes spanning the White House and Capitol Hill. From unpacking the first year of Trump 2.0 to navigating the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, our politicos blend humor, harmony, and political and policy truths as we look ahead to 2026. Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Towner French, and Patrick Martin. Listen to the Beltway Briefing here.
President Trump issued an executive order that seeks to block state AI laws, but his own party is divided over the issue.
The Trump administration’s decision to approve the sale of Nvidia’s H200 semiconductors to China represents a significant departure from the previous consensus in Washington on sales of advanced chips to China.
The Trump administration is pursuing efforts to decrease its reliance on Chinese critical mineral supply chains not only through a whole-of-government approach domestically but also the uncharacteristically multilateral support of allies and partners abroad. Read the Cozen Currents 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.
January 20, 2026
January 20, 2026
January 20, 2026
