Telecom companies have deep lobbying bench as fight approaches

Some telecom lobbyists still have strong ties to members on the
Senate Commerce and the House Energy and Commerce committees, which authorize telecom legislation. The organizations have 26 lobbyists who used to work for members of the House committee
and 22 lobbyists who used to work for members of the Senate committee.

The report looks at only one side of the telecommunications battle:
the phone and cable companies. But some of the Internet companies that these
forces clash with also shell out on influence.

Google is a big spender, outlaying nearly $1.4 million on
lobbying so far this year. The search company contracts six different lobbying
firms. Top lobbyist Pablo Chavez is the former chief counsel to Sen. John
McCain (R-Ariz.).

Google and the telecom companies also influence government
through more circuitous routes, including through think tanks and
foundations. Google’s Kim Scott is on the advisory board at Sunlight, and the
company spent over $66,000 on the organization last year.  

Paul Blumenthal, the author of the report, said he narrowed this
study to Internet service providers but is open to a follow-up on competing interests in the telecom debate.