SUBJECT

Southwest Strategies

"The Access Machine"

Fundraiser by day. Lobbyist by night. Rebranded but not reformed.

One of San Diego's most powerful lobbying and public affairs firms. Rebranded to Bodewell Group in February 2026. CEO Chris Wahl raised $160K for politicians and lobbied those same politicians. Employees donated $2,450 to Kent Lee while the firm lobbied Lee on behalf of a developer. Palladium Heritage (PE, ~$3B AUM) invested in the firm. The access economy, valued by Wall Street.