7.1 KiB
John Dunbar Koch — Louisiana Lobbyist Investigation
Research Date: 2026-03-12 Data Sources: Louisiana Board of Ethics (eap.ethics.la.gov), F Minus lobbying database (fminus.org), Pelican State Partners website, Business Report LA
Executive Summary
CRITICAL FINDING: John Dunbar Koch is a Louisiana lobbyist whose firm, Pelican State Partners LLC, represents Meta Platforms, Inc. as a client. Koch's surname is "Koch" — he is NOT connected to Koch Industries or the Koch political network. His significance to this investigation is that his firm is one of Meta's registered lobbying operations in Louisiana, where HB-570 (the App Store Accountability Act) was passed with Meta's support.
1. Lobbyist Profile
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Mr. John Dunbar Koch |
| Goes By | Johnny Koch |
| Lobbyist ID | LB000349 |
| Firm | Pelican State Partners, LLC |
| Address | 504 Lakeland Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70802 |
| Phone | (225) 445-4805 |
| Lobbying Type | Legislative AND Executive Branch |
| Registration History | Active since at least 2009 |
| Prior Employer | Roedel Parsons Koch Blache Balhoff & McCollister (law firm, through ~2020) |
Career Timeline
- Pre-2020: Partner at Roedel Parsons Koch Blache Balhoff & McCollister, a Baton Rouge law firm at 8440 Jefferson Highway, Suite 301
- ~September 2020: Roedel Parsons' lobbying division disbanded; Koch and colleagues formed Pelican State Partners, LLC (per Business Report, Sept 4, 2020, by Jeremy Alford)
- 2021-present: Operating as Pelican State Partners from 504 Lakeland Drive, Baton Rouge
2. Pelican State Partners — Meta Connection
Confirmed: Meta Platforms, Inc. is a Pelican State Partners Client
Per the F Minus lobbying database (fminus.org/clients/pelican-state-partners-llc/, accessed 2026-03-12), Pelican State Partners represents the following notable clients:
Tech Companies:
- Meta Platforms, Inc. ← KEY FINDING
- Uber Technologies, Inc.
- AT&T
- Roblox Corporation ← also relevant to age verification
Other Major Clients:
- BP America
- CVS Health
- Equifax
- Reynolds American, Inc.
- Tulane University
Significance for HB-570 Investigation
Multiple sources confirm Meta deployed approximately 12 lobbyists in Louisiana for HB-570 alone (per Jessica Reed Kraus, Substack). Koch/Pelican State Partners is one of these lobbying operations. The firm's dual representation of Meta and Roblox (both companies that benefit from shifting age verification responsibility to app stores) is noteworthy.
3. Full 2023 Client List (from LA Ethics Registration)
Koch's 2023 registration (PDF, 9 pages) lists 30 clients:
| Client | Description | State | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aflac | Insurance | GA | 2009 |
| American Assoc. of Bioanalysts | Healthcare/medical techs | MO | 2011 |
| Associated Branch Pilots | Maritime | LA | 2009 |
| Atmos Energy Corp. | Oil and Gas | TX | 2009 |
| Capitol Policy Group | Prison Healthcare | GA | 2020 |
| Castle Hill Gaming | Gaming | VA | 2021 |
| Coastal Conservation Assoc. of LA | Marine conservation | LA | 2022 |
| Communities in Schools Gulf South | Student supports | LA | 2022 |
| Correct Solutions, LLC | Corrections healthcare | LA | 2016 |
| Deloitte Consulting, LLP | Consulting | TX | 2009 |
| Driving School Assoc. of LA | Driving schools | LA | 2019 |
| HCA Healthcare Corp. | Healthcare | LA | 2009 |
| HDR, Inc. | Engineering | LA | 2018 |
| ITeach US | Education/teacher cert | TX | 2009 |
| LA Airport Managers & Assoc. | Airports | LA | 2017 |
| LA Assoc. of Chiefs of Police | Law enforcement | LA | 2009 |
| LA Assoc. of Nurse Practitioners | Healthcare | LA | 2021 |
| LA Court Reporters Assoc. | Judicial | LA | 2009 |
| LA Craft Brewers Guild | Beer brewing | LA | 2017 |
| LA Dental Association | Healthcare | LA | 2009 |
| LA Hemp Extractors | CBD products | LA | 2022 |
| LA Loggers Association | Logging | LA | 2019 |
| LA Podiatry Medical Assoc. | Healthcare | LA | 2009 |
| MedImpact Healthcare Systems | Pharmacy benefit mgmt | CA | 2020 |
| NE Louisiana Power Cooperative | Electric utility | LA | 2020 |
| Pelican State Partners, LLC | Own firm | LA | 2021 |
| Performa Labs | Computer software | CA | 2022 |
| Southern Key Investments | Financial planning | LA | 2009 |
| Stat Shots, LLC | Manufacturing | LA | 2022 |
| Strategic Partnerships, Inc. | Procurement consulting | TX | 2022 |
| Turn Key Health Clinics | Inmate healthcare | OK | 2022 |
| Uber Technologies, Inc. | Tech/rideshare | CA | 2014 |
| Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. | Retail | AR | 2009 |
Note: Meta Platforms, Inc. does NOT appear on the 2023 registration. It appears on the more recent F Minus database listing, indicating Meta retained Pelican State Partners after the 2023 registration period — likely in 2024 or 2025, coinciding with HB-570 activity.
4. Firm Team
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Johnny Koch | Partner |
| Christian J. Rhodes | Partner (attorney since 2008) |
| Scott Kirkpatrick | Partner |
| Suchitra J. Satpathi | Partner |
| Liza Albrecht | Government Affairs Coordinator |
Contact: Baton Rouge (225) 219-8900 | New Orleans (504) 699-7454
5. Koch Industries Connection — DEBUNKED
Initial investigation flagged "Koch lobbyist" as a potential connection to Koch Industries' political network. This is incorrect:
- John Dunbar Koch's surname is "Koch" — a common surname
- His 2019 employer was "Roedel Parsons Koch Blache Balhoff & McCollister" — a law firm where "Koch" in the name refers to him
- His client list shows no Koch Industries, Americans for Prosperity, or Koch network entities
- His clients span healthcare, insurance, education, energy, and tech — a typical Louisiana lobbying portfolio
6. Connections to HB-570 Investigation
What This Establishes
- Meta → Pelican State Partners → Louisiana Legislature: Koch's firm is a registered Meta lobbyist in Louisiana
- Timing: Meta likely retained Pelican State Partners in 2024-2025, coinciding with HB-570 legislative push
- Dual Tech Representation: Koch's firm also represents Roblox, which benefits from the same app store accountability framework
- Scale: Koch's firm is just one of an estimated 12+ lobbyists Meta deployed for HB-570
What Remains Unknown
- The exact date Meta retained Pelican State Partners
- Whether Koch personally lobbied on HB-570 or delegated to other firm partners
- Koch's expenditure reports specific to Meta's interests
- Whether Koch had any interaction with DCA or Casey Stefanski during HB-570 proceedings
Sources
- LA Board of Ethics Registration: https://eap.ethics.la.gov/Lobbyist/upload/349/20221219_142034_349Year2023.pdf
- LA Board of Ethics Registration (2019): https://eap.ethics.la.gov/Lobbyist/upload/349/20190116_140215_349Year2019.pdf
- F Minus Client Database: https://fminus.org/clients/pelican-state-partners-llc/
- Pelican State Partners: https://www.pelicanstate.com/about
- Business Report: https://www.businessreport.com/newsletters/lapolitics-roedel-parsons-disbands-members-launch-pelican-state