Lobbying firm C2 Group acquires Bates Capitol Group

bizjournals.com
by Neil Adler

Two D.C.-based lobbying firms with heavy-hitting corporate clients are combining operations.

C2 Group LLC has purchased Bates Capitol Group LLC for an undisclosed amount. The combined company will be housed at C2 Group’s headquarters at 101 Constitution Ave. NW.

C2 Group has five partners and additional support staff. Bates Capitol has one partner, Hunter Bates, and one additional colleague.

After the acquisition, C2 Group will have more influence with members of the U.S. House and Senate, both Democrats and Republicans, leaders of the two firms say.

Hunter Bates is a former chief of staff to Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and C2 Group Partner Jeff Murray has close ties to the House Democrats’ Blue Dog Coalition, a group of fiscal conservatives that was formed in 1995 and has 47 members.

Tom Crawford, a co-founder of C2 Group, and Bates say that the combined firm already is being considered for work by organizations that likely would not have turned to either one before.

Crawford said about a year ago that his firm wanted to broaden its reach through potential acquisitions or partnerships.

C2 Group reported revenue of about $5.8 million last year, and Bates Capitol had revenue of about $1.5 million during the same period, executives with the two firms say. The combined entity is projecting about $8 million in total revenue this year, Crawford said.

C2 Group is looking at other possible acquisitions that could take place this year or next.

“We’re in an aggressive mode,” Crawford said. Down the road, C2 Group would consider being acquired “if the right thing came along,” he said.

Clients of Bates Capitol include the American Beverage Association, biotech giant Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN), Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT), UPS and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform.

Among C2 Group’s clients are D.C.-based mortgage financier Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM), Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA), the D.C.-based Biotechnology Industry Organization and Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD).

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