Greenlee Partners, LLC
TypeLimited Liability Company
IndustryLobbying
Founded1985
Headquarters230 State Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Key people
Bill Greenlee Founder (1938-2010)
Stan Rapp Founder and Partner
Matt Steck Partner
Websitehttp://www.greenleepartners.com/

Greenlee Partners, LLC is a lobbying firm in Pennsylvania, possibly best known for representing the City of Philadelphia and Allegheny County.

Firm history

Greenlee Associates was founded in 1980 by Bill Greenlee, later changing its name to "Greenlee Partners" when Stan Rapp took charge in 2000.[1] The firm is headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, but represents clients all throughout Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.[2] The firm and its lobbyists were known for their connections to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge's administration.[3]

The firm produces a daily newsletter called “Harrisburg: ONLINE”, consisting of local, state, and national political activities with witty quip all throughout.[4] In a 2002 article about the surprise resignation of Representative John E. Barley, the political analysis from Harrisburg: ONLINE was quoted in the Sunday News of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.[5]

In 2009, the Pennsylvania Report called Greenlee Partners "the gold-standard" of lobbying firms in Pennsylvania.[4] In a 1997 article about Pittsburgh Power & Light's lobbying presence in Harrisburg, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette called Greenlee Partners a "powerhouse firm."[6] The same description was used in another 1997 article about a charitable event hosted by members of the Harrisburg lobbying community.[7] In a 1998 article about alleged "astroturf" lobbying efforts by AlliedSignal, The Philadelphia Inquirer called Greenlee "one of the capital's most visible lobbying firms."[8] In a 1998 article about Greenlee's lobbying on behalf of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Pirates, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette called Greenlee "one of the best-known firms in Harrisburg."[9]

The Dan Onorato administration credits Greenlee Partners with a "20-fold" return in the form of appropriations for a widening project on Pennsylvania Route 28, as well as a footbridge and security cameras at Duquesne University.[10]

Greenlee Partners has been a community publisher to TheBurg News since its inception in 2009, advocating for lobbying reform and financial disclosure reform.[11]

Lobbying activities and issues

After the Pennsylvania House of Representatives was taken over by the Republicans in the 1990s, the City of Philadelphia hired Greenlee Partners to lobby the House on its behalf.[12] Under that lobbying contract, Greenlee Partners was instrumental in passing a rental-car tax that helped fund Philadelphia's new stadiums, the airport expansion funding, and the one percent hotel tax that fuels the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation.[13]

In 2008, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review questioned the necessity of the Port Authority of Allegheny County's lobbying contract with Greenlee Partners and raised questions about the propriety of Greenlee's relationship with House Transportation Committee Chairman Rick Geist.[10][14]

References

  1. ↑ "Business News in Brief". The Philadelphia Inquirer. December 5, 2000.
  2. ↑ "Our Firm". greenleepartners.com. Greenlee Partners. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  3. ↑ Neri, Al (August 2002). "Who's Got Currency at the State Capitol?". The Insider. Archived from the original on 2009-11-09.
  4. 1 2 "PA Report 100" (PDF). Pennsylvania Report. Capitol Growth. January 23, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 27, 2020.
  5. ↑ Adams, Helen Colwell (January 20, 2002). "MU pundit: Rep. Barley was indeed harassed". Sunday News. Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
  6. ↑ Shelly, Pete; Jack Torry (January 12, 1997). "PP&L lobbyist joins Catholic Conference". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. PP&L has hired the powerhouse firm of Greenlee & Associates to represent its interests on the hill.
  7. ↑ Shelly, Pete (June 8, 1997). "PA. Lawmakers and Lobbyists Meet and Golf for Good Causes". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. ...said Stanley Rapp, a lobbyist with powerhouse Greenlee Associates and an event organizer.
  8. ↑ Dilanian, Ken (October 4, 1998). "Takeover Fight Grabs Spotlight". The Philadelphia Inquirer. ...reported Harrisburg Online, a daily e-mail dispatch by Greenlee Associates, which represents AlliedSignal and is one of the capital's most visible lobbying firms.
  9. ↑ Shelly, Peter (January 16, 1999). "Lobbyists Promoting Stadium Financing Law". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. ...Greenlee Associates lobby firm representing the Steelers and Pirates. It is one of the best-known firms in Harrisburg and represents numerous clients, including the city of Philadelphia, Highmark Blue Cross-Blue Shield, the Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers Association and the Philip Morris Management Corp.
  10. 1 2 Bumsted, Brad; Mike Wereschagin (November 29, 2009). "Lobbyist expenses wasteful, critics say". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on November 30, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Greenlee Partners, LLC". TheBurg. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  12. ↑ Baer, John; John Baer (November 29, 1999). "Roadblock with Capitol R. Street Facing Huge Obstacle With GOP In Control of House". Philadelphia Daily News.
  13. ↑ Rubin Erdely, Sabrina (March 2003). "There's Something About Holly Philadelphia Magazine March, 2003". Philadelphia. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Metro Corp.
  14. ↑ Heyl, Eric (June 20, 2008). "How many lobbyists does it take to drive a bus?". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on July 9, 2008. Retrieved October 26, 2009.
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