72 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
72 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
# Headwaters Strategies — Client Network Analysis
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# Source: Colorado Professional Lobbyist Bills Dataset (sche-yqzf)
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# Data as of: March 13, 2026
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# Pulled: March 14, 2026
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## Summary
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Headwaters Strategies is Meta Platforms' registered lobbying firm in Colorado.
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They have **101 unique clients** across 5,000+ lobbying records dating back to 2009.
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## Meta's Lobbying Through Headwaters
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- **Client names used:** "Facebook" (2020-2021), "Meta Platforms, Inc" (2022-present)
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- **Active lobbyists for Meta:**
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- William C. Coyne
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- Adam Eichberg
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- Alyson Schmidt
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- Amber Janelle Burkhart
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- Ana Martinez (earlier, possibly in-house)
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- **19 bills lobbied** across 4 fiscal years (2022-2026)
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- **Pattern:** Almost always starts "Monitoring," shifts to "Amending"
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- **On SB26-051:** Still at "Monitoring" as of March 2026
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## Key Observations
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### 1. Meta's "Monitoring" Position on SB26-051 is Strategic
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While Meta officially "monitors" SB26-051, the industry coalition is doing the
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active amending work:
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- Colorado Technology Association (Sewald Hanfling) — Amending
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- Colorado Chamber of Commerce — Amending
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- TechNet (Colorado Legislative Strategies) — Monitoring
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- Apple — Amending
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- MPAA — Opposing
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- Comcast — Amending
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Meta stays clean while allies push amendments. This is consistent with Meta's
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documented strategy of operating through intermediary organizations.
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### 2. Front Groups Are NOT Registered in Colorado
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None of Meta's known astroturf/front organizations appear in CO lobbying records:
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- Digital Childhood Alliance (DCA) — NOT REGISTERED
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- American Technology Excellence Project (ATEP) — NOT REGISTERED
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- Coalition for Competitive Mobile Experience (CCME) — NOT REGISTERED
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- ConnectSafely — NOT REGISTERED
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- Americans for a Safe & Accessible America (ASAA) — NOT REGISTERED
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- Casey Stefanski — NOT FOUND as lobbyist
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- Melissa McKay — NOT FOUND as lobbyist
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This raises questions:
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- Are these entities operating in Colorado below the registration threshold?
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- Are they providing testimony without triggering lobbying registration requirements?
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- Is their influence channeled through other registered entities?
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### 3. Shared Lobbying Firms on SB26-051
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Firms representing multiple clients on the same bill — potential coordination:
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- **Sewald Hanfling:** Colorado Technology Association + Roblox (both Amending)
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- **Colorado Legislative Strategies:** Stride Inc. + TechNet
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- **The Capstone Group:** Apple Inc + The Kempe Foundation
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- **HB Strategies:** MPAA (6 different name spellings, all same entity)
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### 4. Headwaters Notable Other Clients
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Some Headwaters clients that may be relevant to Meta's broader strategy:
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- **Airbnb** — Fellow big tech company, similar regulatory interests
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- **Charter Communications** — Telecom, 50+ bills, overlapping internet regulation interests
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- **Tesla Motors** — 72 bills, tech industry regulatory alignment
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- **Colorado Trial Lawyers Association** — 344+ bills, massive lobbying presence
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- **People United for Privacy** — Privacy advocacy (SB24-129) — alignment with Meta's privacy framing
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## Data Files
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- `meta_platforms_co_lobbying.csv` — All Meta Platforms lobbying records
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- `facebook_co_lobbying.csv` — Historical Facebook lobbying records
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- `sb26-051_lobbyists.csv` — All entities lobbying on SB26-051
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