Ches McDowell

Checkmate Government Relations lobbying revenue, 2025 Copy link

Checkmate reported more than $21.9 million in federal lobbying revenue in 2025, its first year with a Washington office. That includes $450,000 Binance paid for a month of lobbying on "executive relief" shortly before Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao.

Paid by Lobbying clients, including Binance

Bloomberg Government puts the year at about $21.4 million. The firm's 2025 lobbying reports, as since amended, add up to $22.51 million.

• ReportNOTUS · Trump 2.0 shakes up K Street power balance · 22 Jan 2026
• ReportBloomberg Government · Lobbying spending splurge rockets Trump-linked firm to the top · 21 Jan 2026 · Archived
• ReportNBC News · Binance lobbied Trump administration before Changpeng Zhao pardon · 24 Oct 2025 · Archived

Checkmate Government Relations lobbying revenue, Q1 2026 Copy link

Checkmate reported $10.9 million in federal lobbying revenue in the first quarter of 2026, the ninth-highest of any firm, according to LegiStorm. Bloomberg Government put the quarter at more than $11 million, including $1 million from Innovairrs & Co., the largest single contract on K Street that quarter.

Paid by Lobbying clients

The firm's own first-quarter reports add up to $10.97 million, including $450,000 from Binance. Punchbowl News reports $36.35 million for January to September 2026; that figure is not listed yet because no second outlet has reported it, and it would overlap this line and the Binance lines for the second and third quarters.

• ReportLegiStorm · Checkmate enters lobbying elite on lean client roster · 18 May 2026 · Archived
• ReportBloomberg Government · Trump-Linked Lobbyists Land Big Money, Foreign Client Contracts · 29 Apr 2026 · Archived

Checkmate fee from Binance, Q2 2026 Copy link

Checkmate Government Relations reported $750,000 in lobbying income from Binance Holdings for the second quarter of 2026, with Ches McDowell as lobbyist. The issues listed are digital-asset policy and “executive relief”.

Paid by Binance Holdings

Not covered by the Checkmate lines above, which end in March 2026.

• RecordU.S. Senate lobbying disclosure (LD-2) · Checkmate Government Relations, client Binance Holdings, Q2 2026 · 16 Jul 2026

Checkmate fee from Binance, Q3 2026 Copy link

Checkmate Government Relations reported another $750,000 from Binance Holdings for the third quarter of 2026, on the same issues: digital-asset policy and “executive relief”.

Paid by Binance Holdings

• RecordU.S. Senate lobbying disclosure (LD-2) · Checkmate Government Relations, client Binance Holdings, Q3 2026 · 18 Oct 2026