Firm adds top Republican staffer with expertise in financial services, banking and small business
Washington, DC – Cornerstone Government Affairs announced Monday the addition of David Planning, Floor Director to House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), to its federal government relations team effective April 29, 2024. With nearly a decade of experience navigating the legislative and executive branches, Planning brings a thorough understanding of House Floor process and strong relationships across all levels of the federal government.
“I am honored and excited to be joining Cornerstone,” Planning said. “During my time in the House and at the White House, I have consistently been impressed by the firm’s dedicated engagement on behalf of their clients and their ability to deliver meaningful outcomes. I am looking forward to joining the industry-leading Cornerstone team to help clients successfully navigate their priorities in Washington.”
In his most recent role as the top Floor advisor to the House Majority Whip, Planning managed a team that worked closely with the Speaker, Majority Leader, Members and staff across the House GOP Conference to enact critical legislation in one of the narrowest House majorities in U.S. history. As part of these efforts, he provided strategic advice to senior bipartisan and bicameral leadership staff, committee staff and senior personal office staff on legislation to ensure House passage, including the Limit, Save, Grow Act, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Lower Energy Costs Act, the National Defense Authorization Act, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act and several stand-alone appropriations bills.
“David’s grit, professionalism and ability to get things done against all odds made him a trusted leader, not only within our Whip operation but also within the entire House Republican Conference,” Emmer said. “He has invaluable relationships and experience at the highest levels of government, and his insatiable appetite for success makes him the best in the business. David’s in-depth knowledge of floor procedure and sharp political acumen are added bonuses to his already-impressive resume. I have no doubt he will be a tremendous asset to the Cornerstone team and wish him nothing but the best in this next chapter.”
Previously, Planning served as the Republican Staff Director on the House Committee on Small Business, where he led a team of policy and communications professionals on matters related to access to capital, taxation, entrepreneurship development, federal contracting and rural access. In this role, he worked closely with bipartisan House and Senate Leadership and other top Committee aides to negotiate broader legislative strategies, resulting in policy accomplishments including the PPP Extension Act, the SBIR & STTR Extension Act, and the PPP and Bank Fraud Enforcement Harmonization Act.
His time on Capitol Hill also included serving as the Deputy Director of Coalitions and Member Services for the House Committee on Financial Services, Floor Assistant to former House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), Special Assistant to former House Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and Staff Assistant for former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI).
“Spearheading the House Republican Whip operation through the slimmest majority in recent memory, David Planning has been an invaluable asset to the House Republican Conference,” Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) said. “His deep knowledge of House Floor procedure paired with his profound understanding of the diverse policy contours within our Conference has made him essential to our success. David’s senior-level experiences at the White House and in House Leadership give him a unique understanding of the political realities facing our country today, and his strong relationships on both sides of the aisle are a tribute to his work ethic and character in this challenging role. I want to thank David for his service to the House Republican Conference and wish him success in his next chapter.”
In addition to his congressional experience, from 2019 to 2020 Planning served in the Trump Administration as Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, where he acted as a principal liaison between the White House and roughly 130 bipartisan Members of Congress, including House Leadership, the Republican Study Committee (RSC), and the Committees on Financial Services, Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, Judiciary, Agriculture and Science and Space & Technology, to successfully enact the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), multiple COVID-19 relief packages, long-term extensions of the Export-Import Bank and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA).
“We are thrilled to be adding David to our team,” Cornerstone CEO Geoff Gonella said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and relationships as well as a well-earned excellent bipartisan and bicameral reputation. He will immediately add significant value to our broad and diverse client base.”
Planning graduated from Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.