Officials hired a lobbying firm to advocate for veterans’ issues at GW last month, according to government records.
The University registered as a client of The Cormac Group LLC and hired two lobbyists to appeal to Congress on their behalf on “veterans affairs issues” just a week after the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs launched an investigation into allegations that GW had defrauded student veterans by withholding housing and tuition benefits. University spokesperson Shannon McClendon said the hiring demonstrates GW’s “longstanding commitment” to serving student veterans and military-affiliated students.
McClendon said GW hires external advisors from lobbying firms “as needed” to help navigate government, regulatory matters and compliance on federal issues in higher education, including issues related to student veterans.
“Strategic advocacy remains an important function for the University,” McClendon said in an email. “The impact that federal policy decisions can have on our students and community underscores the importance and value of these investments.”
The Cormac Group is a bipartisan strategic consulting and lobbying firm, according to their website. Other clients of the group include American College of Education, Nova Southeastern University and Midwestern University. GW has not previously registered as a client of The Cormac Group.
GW hired Jonathan Slade, a partner at The Cormac Group and former adjunct professor at The Graduate School of Political Management, according to a lobbying registration form. Slade received both an undergraduate degree in 1981 and law degree in 1988 from GW according to his LinkedIn. Elizabeth Iadarola, the other lobbyist hired by GW, previously served as a director of marketing and communications at GW and holds a masters degree from the University, according to The Cormac Group website.
The May hiring comes two years after the University hired a different lobbying firm, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, to assist with “higher education issues,” which marked the first time the University hired federal lobbyists since 2009. Officials paid Pillsbury $70,000 each in the first two quarters of 2025. They paid Pillsbury $90,000 in the second quarter, $30,000 in the third and $50,000 in the fourth quarter of 2024, a total of $170,000 that year. They also paid the firm $140,000 in the first two quarters of 2025 and $80,000 in the third quarter of 2025, bringing total payments to the firm to over $390,000 since officials retained them.
McClendon declined to comment on how much officials have paid The Cormac Group or whether the House investigation spurred officials to hire the firm.
On May 8, Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), sent a letter to University President Ellen Granberg requesting officials respond to allegations that GW intentionally withheld Department of Veteran Affairs benefits entitled to student veterans participating in the accelerated masters of business administration program.
Van Orden claims GW led students participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program to believe that their tuition would be fully covered through the Post-9/11 GI Bill, but that students received notices that they must pay $14,000 or $20,000 out-of-pocket or withdrawal from the program due to “exhausted” funding. He requested the University respond to the allegations and provide a plan detailing how the issue will be resolved by May 13, or potentially face a subpoena.
Van Orden also sent a letter to Cheryl Mason, Inspector General of the VA, and requested the Office of the Inspector General investigate GW’s potential mishandling of tuition and housing benefits through the GI bill. He said he is concerned that the issue may have also occurred in previous years but was not brought to attention until now.
On June 5, officials confirmed they will fully reimburse seven GW students using veteran program benefits and committed to reforms to better administer and communicate educational benefits for student veterans. Officials also confirmed in a weekly federal update the University has been in “frequent contact” with the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs since early April.
Officials said they reached out to impacted students to share updates, provide support and inform all student veterans about how to escalate concerns regarding benefits issues.
