Bottom Line: Intuit adds lobbying giant amid tax prep fight

Taxes

Cornerstone Government Affairs registered to lobby on a broad range of issues including intellectual property, data privacy, artificial intelligence and tax administration on behalf of Intuit, which owns QuickBooks, Mint, Credit Karma, MailChimp and TurboTax. The rollout of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) free direct tax filing service, something Intuit and other tax preparation giants have fought for years, threatens to reduce demand for the company’s popular tax software. Katelyn Bunning, former legislative director to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), will work on the account.

Technology

Apple hired Polsinelli to lobby on issues related to trade, intellectual property and public health starting in early October, according to a new registration. Apple has been embroiled in a protracted patent dispute after the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that the blood-oxygen monitoring feature on some Apple Watch models infringed on another company’s patent. One of the lobbyists working on the account is Deanna Tanner Okun, former commissioner and chair of U.S. International Trade Commission.

Health

Mayo Clinic hired Welsh Rose to lobby on issues related to Medicare payments. One of the lobbyists on the account is Kristin Welsh, a Capitol Hill alum whose resume includes stints as deputy health policy director for the Senate Finance Committee and vice president for strategic initiatives at the American Hospital Association.

Agriculture

​General Mills hired The Russell Group to lobby on issues related to regenerative agriculture. One of the lobbyists on the account is Jessica Schulken, former clerk and professional staff member for the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies.

Olympics

Los Angeles 2028 (LA2028), the host committee for the 2028 Olympics, hired Mayer Brown to lobby for U.S. government support for the upcoming games. Matthew “Mac” Bernstein, who joined the firm in November from Denton Global Advisors, will work on the account.