St. Louis County, Minn. Files LDA Termination with Folger Square Group

St. Louis County, Minnesota ended its lobbying relationship with Folger Square Group LLC on January 1, 2026, with the formal LDA termination filing submitted April 30. The county had already retained a new firm before the ink was dry on the split.

Why It Matters

A Long-Standing Client Departs

St. Louis County had been one of Folger Square Group's longest-tenured clients. The firm registered the county as a client in April 2020 and filed 24 disclosures over the course of the relationship, covering federal budget and appropriations, natural resources, Forest Service funding, and economic development. The county and the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association were tied as the firm's most active clients by filing count.

All 24 filings between Folger Square Group and St. Louis County reported $0 in lobbying compensation, consistent with how the firm reports across its entire client base. The firm's current roster includes the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association and the Police Officers Association of Michigan, both of which also reported $0 in the First Quarter 2026 filings. Folger Square Group is a small, specialized shop, and the departure of a client with 24 filings of history is notable relative to the size of its portfolio.

The County Didn't Wait to Replace Them

St. Louis County registered Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP as its new lobbying firm in December 2025, before the Folger Square Group relationship formally ended. In the First Quarter of 2026, the county paid Manatt $18,000 for work on federal budget and appropriations, transportation funding, and economic development issues.

Broader Context

The Core Issue Got Resolved — For Now

The bulk of Folger Square Group's work for St. Louis County centered on federal funding tied to public lands and the U.S. Forest Service, specifically payments under the Secure Rural Schools program. The county is home to the Superior National Forest, and SRS payments represent a meaningful revenue source for counties that host federal forest land.

After a nearly two-year lapse in the program, Congress passed the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025 with bipartisan support, and President Trump signed it into law on December 22, 2025. The law reauthorized the program through the end of fiscal year 2026 and directed the Forest Service to make retroactive payments covering fiscal years 2024 and 2025. The Forest Service subsequently announced $248 million in payments for fiscal year 2025 and $182 million in retroactive payments for fiscal year 2024, with counties receiving their first checks in February 2026.

Minnesota Congressman Pete Stauber noted that the reauthorization would "secure payments for counties across Minnesota, including St. Louis" counties. The termination of the Folger Square Group relationship took effect just ten days after the bill was signed.

The Issue Is Not Permanently Resolved

The legislative win is temporary. The SRS program expires at the end of fiscal year 2026, meaning the same lobbying battle will need to be fought again before counties receive their final payments in spring 2027. The county's decision to move to a larger firm, rather than exit federal lobbying entirely, reflects that reality.

St. Louis County Was Named in a Senate Hearing

In May 2025, Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) highlighted St. Louis County by name during a Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee hearing on the Fix Our Forests Act. Smith referenced the Thye-Blatnik Act, a law that ensures Lake, Cook, and St. Louis Counties receive revenue for hosting federal forests.

"The first is my bipartisan Thye-Blatnik Act," Smith said. "This is a law which ensures that these counties in far northern Minnesota — Lake and Cook and St. Louis Counties — receive a source of revenue for hosting federal forests. They have done this for decades. This is a small bill with a technical fix that would make a huge difference to these counties. It passed through the Senate last year, and we need to move it again this year."

The hearing underscores that the county's federal policy interests remain active even as the immediate SRS fight was resolved.

Federal Funding Tensions with the Trump Administration

St. Louis County's federal lobbying needs extend beyond forestry. The county operates on a $564 million budget and relies heavily on federal transportation dollars for road and bridge projects. In early 2026, the county navigated a dispute with the Trump administration over its use of Project Labor Agreements on federally funded construction contracts, a tension that highlights how dependent the county is on maintaining effective federal relationships.

Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith also secured congressionally directed spending for St. Louis County in Senate-passed legislation in January 2026, a reminder that the county's federal footprint spans multiple issue areas.

The Bottom Line

What Manatt Brings to the Table

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips is a considerably larger platform than Folger Square Group. The two lobbyists working the St. Louis County account are Adrianna Williams and Mark Ritacco.

Ritacco brings a background that is relevant to the work the county needs done. His profile in lobbying disclosures shows experience on appropriations and transportation issues, areas that align directly with the county's stated priorities of federal transportation funding and economic development.

The shift to Manatt comes at a moment when the county's federal agenda is broadening. While Folger Square Group's work was concentrated on public lands and Forest Service appropriations, Manatt's First Quarter 2026 filing shows the county is now also focused on transportation funding and economic development, suggesting the county wants a firm with a wider reach across federal agencies and congressional committees.

With the SRS program set to expire again after fiscal year 2026, St. Louis County will need to re-engage on the same forestry funding fight that occupied much of its lobbying agenda for the past six years. Whether Manatt's lobbyists have the specific committee relationships on Senate Agriculture or House Natural Resources to move that issue will matter considerably in the months ahead.

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