Ex-GOP Rep. Roskam joins lobbying firm

Former Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) has joined the Chicago-based law firm Sidley Austin as a partner in its government strategies group.

Roskam, who had served in Congress since 2007 — including working as chief deputy majority whip from 2011 to 2014 — lost his reelection bid last year to Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.).

The Illinois Republican served on the House Ways and Means Committee and was also chairman of the subcommittee on tax policy, working on the GOP tax cut law that passed in 2017.

{mosads}“At Sidley, Peter will provide policy and strategic advice to clients around the world who are seeking solutions to challenges emerging from Washington, D.C.,” Michael Borden, partner and leader of Sidley’s Government Strategies practice, said in a statement.

“He will be in good company as part of our bipartisan team, all of whom also played major roles in the drafting, enactment and implementation of landmark laws from senior-level positions in the government,” he said.

Roskam joins the long list of former GOP lawmakers who are now at lobbying firms, including ex-Rep. Jeff Denham (Calif.), who is at K&L Gates; ex-Rep. John Culberson (Texas), who is at Clark Hill; ex-Reps. Lamar Smith (Texas) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.), who are in Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP’s Washington office; and former Rep. Bill Shuster (Pa.), who is at Squire Patton Boggs.

Democrats who lost their reelection bids last year have also landed new work, including former Rep. Michael Capuano (Mass.), who joined the law and lobbying firm Foley & Lardner earlier this year.

The new gigs come as 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls are increasingly taking aim at the lobbying world, with some calling for a strict lifetime ban on lawmakers lobbying.