The revolving door
1,665 registered lobbyists list a past job in the office of someone serving in Congress today, in filings since 2019. They came out of 364 of the 539 offices, 38% of them from senior jobs such as chief of staff or legislative director, and they now work at 926 lobbying firms and in-house shops. A senator's office has sent about 4 times as many people into lobbying as a House office (10.2 against 2.5), partly because Senate offices are bigger and terms are longer.
A former aide who lobbies is a pipeline tied to an office. It says nothing about what the member did, and lobbying their old office is legal after a cooling-off period. Matches come from the "covered position" each lobbyist lists on LDA filings; surname-only matches are left out.
Where they went: the firms that hire the most former aides
The top 20 employers hold 22% of these people; the rest are spread across 906 other registrants, from law firms to single-client in-house offices. Open a firm to see whose offices its lobbyists came from.
1BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK, LLP36 from 44 offices
Charles E. Schumer ×2, John Kennedy ×2, Mitch McConnell ×2, Nancy Pelosi ×2, Ryan K. Zinke ×2, Steny H. Hoyer ×2, Austin Scott, Brad Sherman, Brian K. Fitzpatrick, Chuck Grassley, Debbie Dingell, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Donald S. Beyer, Jr., Frank Pallone, Jr., Gregory W. Meeks, Jack Bergman, James E. Clyburn, Janice D. Schakowsky, Jeanne Shaheen, Jim Banks, John Boozman, John R. Carter, John Thune, Josh Gottheimer, Katherine M. Clark, Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Mark DeSaulnier, Mark R. Warner, Maxine Waters, Mazie K. Hirono, Mike Lee, Richard Hudson, Richard J. Durbin, Rick W. Allen, Robert J. Wittman, Rosa L. DeLauro, Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., Shelley Moore Capito, Stacey E. Plaskett, Steve Scalise, Ted Cruz, Tim Scott, Todd Young, Tom McClintock
2INVARIANT LLC34 from 40 offices
Bill Cassidy ×2, John Thune ×2, Mark R. Warner ×2, Mike Quigley ×2, Mitch McConnell ×2, Beth Van Duyne, Bill Hagerty, Brad Knott, Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann, Christopher A. Coons, Cynthia M. Lummis, Darrell Issa, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Elise M. Stefanik, Gary C. Peters, J. French Hill, Jake Auchincloss, Jeff Merkley, John Garamendi, Joni Ernst, Josh Gottheimer, Juan Vargas, Ken Calvert, Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Maxine Waters, Mike Crapo, Nancy Pelosi, Norma J. Torres, Peter Welch, Pramila Jayapal, Richard J. Durbin, Robert E. Latta, Scott Franklin, Shelley Moore Capito, Steve Scalise, Steve Womack, Todd Young, Tom Cotton, Vern Buchanan, Young Kim
3CORNERSTONE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, INC.29 from 29 offices
Margaret Wood Hassan ×3, Cory A. Booker ×2, Mitch McConnell ×2, Roger F. Wicker ×2, Steve Scalise ×2, Adam B. Schiff, Ashley Hinson, Bernard Sanders, Brian Schatz, Bruce Westerman, Charles E. Schumer, Christopher A. Coons, Don Bacon, Eric Schmitt, Gwen Moore, Harold Rogers, James A. Himes, James Comer, Jim Costa, Joe Courtney, John H. Rutherford, Michael R. Turner, Pete Sessions, Raphael G. Warnock, Seth Moulton, Steny H. Hoyer, Tim Kaine, Vern Buchanan, Virginia Foxx
4HOLLAND & KNIGHT LLP27 from 31 offices
Susan M. Collins ×3, Christopher Murphy ×2, Mark R. Warner ×2, Andy Kim, Brian Schatz, Cory A. Booker, Edward J. Markey, Gregory W. Meeks, Jacky Rosen, Jeanne Shaheen, John Cornyn, John Fetterman, Linda T. Sánchez, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Lisa Murkowski, Lloyd Doggett, Lucy McBath, Madeleine Dean, Margaret Wood Hassan, Mark Pocan, Marsha Blackburn, Mike Johnson, Nancy Pelosi, Raul Ruiz, Richard Blumenthal, Scott H. Peters, Susie Lee, Suzanne Bonamici, Tammy Baldwin, Tammy Duckworth, Ted Cruz
5AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD24 from 31 offices
Mitch McConnell ×3, John Thune ×2, Steve Womack ×2, Andrew R. Garbarino, Andrew S. Clyde, Ashley Hinson, Bill Hagerty, Carol D. Miller, Charles E. Schumer, Clay Higgins, Dan Sullivan, Daniel Webster, Danny K. Davis, Doris O. Matsui, Elise M. Stefanik, Henry Cuellar, James A. Himes, John Hoeven, Joni Ernst, Kathy Castor, Maria Cantwell, Marsha Blackburn, Martin Heinrich, Monica De La Cruz, Richard Blumenthal, Richard Hudson, Richard J. Durbin, Rosa L. DeLauro, Sheldon Whitehouse, Suzan K. DelBene, Tammy Baldwin
6FGS GLOBAL (US) LLC (FKA FGH HOLDINGS LLC)22 from 25 offices
Mark R. Warner ×2, Susan M. Collins ×2, Adam Smith, Bruce Westerman, Charles E. Schumer, Chris Van Hollen, Deb Fischer, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Donald G. Davis, Edward J. Markey, Jim Costa, John R. Curtis, John Thune, Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Maria Cantwell, Marsha Blackburn, Mazie K. Hirono, Mitch McConnell, Pete Sessions, Richard J. Durbin, Rick W. Allen, Robert J. Wittman, Suzan K. DelBene, Trent Kelly, William R. Keating
7BGR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS21 from 28 offices
Roger F. Wicker ×3, Janice D. Schakowsky ×2, Bill Cassidy, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Elizabeth Warren, Eric Schmitt, Frank D. Lucas, Jason Smith, Jesús G. "Chuy" García, Jimmy Panetta, John Cornyn, Josh Hawley, Judy Chu, Mark Pocan, Mark R. Warner, Marsha Blackburn, Max L. Miller, Mitch McConnell, Norma J. Torres, Patty Murray, Richard J. Durbin, Ron Wyden, Steve Cohen, Steven Horsford, Ted Cruz, Terri A. Sewell, Tim Scott, Tom Cole
8CASSIDY & ASSOCIATES, INC.21 from 22 offices
John Barrasso ×2, Steve Scalise ×2, Adam Smith, Alex Padilla, Catherine Cortez Masto, Chris Van Hollen, Dan Sullivan, Doris O. Matsui, Gwen Moore, Jacky Rosen, James A. Himes, Joe Courtney, John Boozman, John Cornyn, Lisa Murkowski, Martin Heinrich, Michael F. Bennet, Richard Blumenthal, Robert E. Latta, Roger F. Wicker, Sam Graves, Zoe Lofgren
9ARNOLD & PORTER KAYE SCHOLER LLP20 from 20 offices
Diana DeGette ×2, Marsha Blackburn ×2, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Carol D. Miller, Donald Norcross, John Barrasso, Judy Chu, Marcy Kaptur, Maxine Waters, Mike Quigley, Pramila Jayapal, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Scott H. Peters, Steve Womack, Steven Horsford, Susan M. Collins, Suzanne Bonamici, Tammy Duckworth, Ted Lieu, W. Gregory Steube
10THE RABEN GROUP19 from 20 offices
Hakeem S. Jeffries ×2, Patty Murray ×2, Raja Krishnamoorthi ×2, Adam Smith, Alex Padilla, Elizabeth Warren, James E. Clyburn, James P. McGovern, Jamie Raskin, Jeanne Shaheen, Juan Vargas, Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Maxine Waters, Mazie K. Hirono, Mike Quigley, Nancy Pelosi, Rosa L. DeLauro, Sheldon Whitehouse, Ted Lieu, Yvette D. Clarke
11K&L GATES, LLP17 from 16 offices
Charles E. Schumer ×3, Bill Foster, Bryan Steil, Christopher Murphy, Cory A. Booker, Dan Sullivan, Doris O. Matsui, Jerry Moran, Jimmy Panetta, John Barrasso, Jon Ossoff, Marcy Kaptur, Mike Johnson, Sheldon Whitehouse, Steny H. Hoyer, Tim Scott
12MEHLMAN CONSULTING, INC.16 from 18 offices
John Boozman ×2, Shelley Moore Capito ×2, Zoe Lofgren ×2, Amy Klobuchar, Chris Van Hollen, Harold Rogers, John W. Hickenlooper, Lloyd Doggett, Margaret Wood Hassan, Maria Cantwell, Marsha Blackburn, Martin Heinrich, Nancy Pelosi, Patty Murray, Robin L. Kelly, Ron Wyden, Terri A. Sewell, Vern Buchanan
13VENN STRATEGIES14 from 16 offices
Bill Cassidy, Chuck Grassley, Dan Sullivan, David P. Joyce, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Emanuel Cleaver, Harold Rogers, John B. Larson, Joni Ernst, Michael R. Turner, Paul A. Gosar, Ron Johnson, Ron Wyden, Sheldon Whitehouse, Tammy Baldwin, Todd Young
14CAPITOL COUNSEL LLC12 from 14 offices
Barry Moore, Christopher A. Coons, Darrell Issa, David Schweikert, Dina Titus, Frank Pallone, Jr., John Barrasso, Maria Cantwell, Pete Ricketts, Pete Sessions, Richard E. Neal, Ron Wyden, Ted Budd, Tom Cotton
15FULCRUM PUBLIC AFFAIRS LLC12 from 17 offices
Al Green ×2, David Schweikert ×2, Maria Cantwell ×2, Maxine Waters ×2, Suzan K. DelBene ×2, Alma S. Adams, Ben Ray Luján, Danny K. Davis, Joe Neguse, Josh Harder, Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Martin Heinrich, Patty Murray, Richard J. Durbin, Steven Horsford, Tammy Duckworth, Tim Scott
16STRATEGIC MARKETING INNOVATIONS12 from 12 offices
Tammy Baldwin ×3, Jeanne Shaheen ×2, Ken Calvert ×2, Mazie K. Hirono ×2, Tom Cole ×2, John H. Rutherford, John Kennedy, Kevin Cramer, Lauren Underwood, Steve Womack, Tammy Duckworth, Terri A. Sewell
17CROSSROADS STRATEGIES, LLC11 from 11 offices
Patty Murray ×3, Adam Smith, Charles E. Schumer, David Kustoff, John Cornyn, Marsha Blackburn, Raul Ruiz, Rick Larsen, Roger F. Wicker, Steve Cohen, Vern Buchanan
18SQUIRE PATTON BOGGS11 from 17 offices
Nydia M. Velázquez ×2, Al Green, Brad Sherman, Brendan F. Boyle, George Whitesides, Grace Meng, Henry Cuellar, James E. Clyburn, Jared Huffman, Jasmine Crockett, Juan Vargas, Michael F. Bennet, Mike Thompson, Pete Sessions, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Roger F. Wicker, Steven Horsford
19STEPTOE LLP11 from 9 offices
Lisa Murkowski ×2, Susan M. Collins ×2, Tom Cole ×2, Charles E. Schumer, Joe Courtney, Lloyd Doggett, Maria Cantwell, Mike Thompson, Richard Blumenthal
20ARENTFOX SCHIFF LLP10 from 14 offices
Eleanor Holmes Norton ×2, Alex Padilla, Brian Schatz, Christopher H. Smith, David McCormick, Emanuel Cleaver, Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr., Jefferson Van Drew, John Cornyn, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Patty Murray, Ralph Norman, Scott Perry, Zoe Lofgren
21FAEGRE DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP10 from 11 offices
Christopher H. Smith ×2, Glenn Grothman ×2, André Carson, Andy Harris, Chuck Grassley, Doris O. Matsui, John Joyce, Maria Cantwell, Roger F. Wicker, Susan M. Collins, Susie Lee
22INNOVATIVE FEDERAL STRATEGIES, LLC10 from 11 offices
Henry Cuellar ×2, Patty Murray ×2, Andy Harris, Angie Craig, Angus S. King, Jr., Betty McCollum, Harold Rogers, John R. Carter, Nancy Pelosi, Roger F. Wicker, Tina Smith
23LEWIS-BURKE ASSOCIATES, LLC10 from 10 offices
Amy Klobuchar, Bill Foster, Elizabeth Warren, Jack Reed, Mark R. Warner, Richard Blumenthal, Richard J. Durbin, Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, Thom Tillis, Tina Smith
24S-3 GROUP10 from 7 offices
Steve Scalise ×4, Bernard Sanders ×2, Harold Rogers, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Robert B. Aderholt, Susan M. Collins
25VAN SCOYOC ASSOCIATES10 from 13 offices
Diana DeGette ×2, Charles E. Schumer, Clay Higgins, Frank D. Lucas, Jacky Rosen, James P. McGovern, John Boozman, John Cornyn, Rand Paul, Robert B. Aderholt, Ron Wyden, Steven Horsford, Troy E. Nehls
senior jobs other staff jobs. Counts are distinct people; a person registered by two firms counts at each.
Where they came from: the offices with the most former aides lobbying
Ranked by distinct former aides, all years in office. Long-serving members have had more staff, so the count rewards seniority; each member's page shows the score's version, weighted by role and divided by years in office.
When they first show up in a filing
2019 collects everyone already lobbying when these filings begin, so it is a stock, not a flow. After that, the busiest year is 2025: 275 people, the year a new Congress is seated and staff turn over.
Source: Senate Office of Public Records LDA registrations and quarterly reports (covered positions), matched to members by Greederboard. Download the data (lobbying_former_staff.csv)