Why It Matters
Forbes Tate Partners LLC has terminated its LDA lobbying relationship with Live Nation Entertainment as of June 30. The termination filing was signed on July 16, marking the end of the entertainment company’s work with the firm on ticketing and antitrust matters that had generated substantial advocacy attention on Capitol Hill.
The company had previously worked with Mayer Brown LLP for its full 2022 lobbying calendar.
By The Numbers
Live Nation Entertainment was a mid-tier client for Forbes Tate Partners, generating $290,000 in disclosed lobbying expenses on the firm’s current client roster. The account represented a notable but not dominant portion of the firm’s business, sitting below larger clients like General Atomics at $400,000 and several technology and healthcare firms in the $320,000 to $360,000 range.
The termination occurred in the second quarter of 2026, with the filing indicating $80,000 in lobbying activity during that period.
Broader Context
The termination filing lists a lobbying registration termination that addressed transparency in ticket sales pricing, antitrust enforcement, and venue safety and security issues, areas that had drawn sustained legislative attention.
The Transparency in Keeping Everyone’s Consumers Protected (TICKET) Act has passed the House but remains pending in the Senate as of July 17, leaving the legislative landscape unresolved. Live Nation pledged to voluntarily disclose all-in pricing upfront following pressure from Sen. Maria Cantwell’s TICKET Act introduction, but the company continued to face scrutiny on multiple fronts.
Forbes Tate Partners had assembled a particularly experienced team on the Live Nation account. The team included Managing Partner Jay Driscoll, who had prior experience as a legislative assistant to former Sen. Max Baucus (R-TX). Partner Cindy Brown served as D.C. Chief of Staff to former Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) and brought nine years of congressional experience. Partner Libby Greer had worked as Chief of Staff to Rep. Allen Boyd (D-FL) and carried eight years of Hill experience. Senior Vice President Rich Lopez had prior member experience with former Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA). Partner Ryan Welch brought four years of congressional service with former Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-AL). Senior Vice President Sam McLean had the deepest recent Senate ties, having served as a Senior Legislative Assistant to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) from April through September 2022, in addition to prior work with former Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) and the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The firm’s 2022 quarter one disclosure for Live Nation had identified specific legislative vehicles, including H.R. 3248 and S. 1850, the Better Oversight of Secondary Sales and Accountability in Concert Ticketing Act, indicating the firm was deeply engaged in tracking and responding to the legislative proposals that would eventually culminate in the TICKET Act.
The Bottom Line
The termination occurred as the ticketing issues that Forbes Tate Partners had been managing remain in active congressional flux, with the Senate still deliberating on legislation that directly affects the company’s business model.
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