Google Tops First-Quarter Hill Lobby Spending
Up whopping 42.6% from Q1 2017
By John Eggerton, BROADCASTING & CABLE
April 23, 2018
https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/google-tops-first-quarter-hill-lobby-spending
For the first quarter of 2018, Google spent the most on lobbying Congress among tech and communications companies at over $5 million, a 42.6% jump over the same period in 2017 ($3.52 million). That is according to Consumer Watchdog.
Comcast was not far behind for the first quarter at $4.24 million, up 14% from $3.72 million in the same period last year, with AT&T spending $4.12 million.
Google faces the same regulatory headwinds now buffeting Facebook and other edge providers over their size and power over online information.
Apple, for example, had the second biggest increase in lobbying spending over the same period (behind Cisco), up 52.3% to $2.14 million.
Amazon spent $3.38 million in the quarter and now has nearly tripled its first-quarter lobbying expenses in the past three years.
Charter spent $2.34 million, up 15.9% from $2.02 million in Q1 2017.
Consumer Watchdog based its numbers on filings with the House of Representatives that were due last week.
