Verizon Tops Telecom Lobbying List

Ars Technica reports: The big telco and cable ISPs are always busy beavers over at Capitol Hill, lobbying Congress on a wide variety of issues. But our perusal of the relevant public disclosure databases suggests that Verizon wins the prize for money spent on convincing Senators and Representatives to see broadband- and mobile-related matters the wireless giants' way.

According to the latest data provided to the U.S. House of Representatives' Office of the Clerk, during the second quarter of this year, Verizon forked over $4,440,000 to its team of crack buttonholers, who talked up every issue from net neutrality to the proposed Distracted Driving Prevention Act.

To offer some perspective, however, at the same time last year, the company spent $1,120,000.00. That's still a lot of money, but less than a third of the latest sum.

Of course, we don't want to offend Verizon's competitors by implying that they were slouches in this field of endeavor. AT&T spent $3,086,786.27 on lobbying in Q2, about $30,000 more than it did in the second quarter of 2009. Of late, Comcast dispersed $3,820,000 in green love to various causes dear to the cable giants' heart. And Time Warner Cable spent $1,440,000.

And don't forget about the companies that provide online content. Google budgeted $1,340,000 for lobbying in Q2, Amazon set aside $500,000, slightly less than Yahoo!'s $550,000, and Microsoft had $1,850,000 on hand for the task.

Looks like Facebook is just getting started in DC-land, allocating a comparatively modest $60,000.

But that nearly $4.5 million in scratch definitely got our attention. Let's see what Verizon spent it on, and who did the spending.

Com priorities

Verizon cares about many issues—taxation, patent reform, health care, and international trade questions prominent among them. But this disclosure list starts with a category that the House Clerk classifies as "communications/broadcasting/radio/tv," or "COM," for short.

Among the various Com-related bills that hit Verizon's radar were H.R. 2271, the Global Online Freedom Act of 2009; H.R. 3458, the Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2009; S. 2825, the Cell Phone Early Termination Fee, Transparency and Fairness Act; and H.R.1076, the (hold your breath) Internet Stopping Adults Facilitating the Exploitation of Today’s Youth (SAFETY) Act of 2009.

The document at hand doesn't say whether Verizon supported or opposed these bills. But the company is staunchly opposed to the Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality proposals. Representative Edward Markey's (D-MA) Internet Freedom Preservation Act would write the FCC's Open Internet policy statement into the Communications Act, barring ISPs from being allowed to "block, interfere with, discriminate against, impair, or degrade" access to any lawful content from any lawful application or device.

Next there's Christopher Smith's (R-NJ) Global Online Freedom Act, which would make it the policy of the United States to deter businesses from cooperating with countries that the Secretary of State has declared "Internet-restricting" nations. The law would also prohibit US-based businesses from locating in these countries "any personally identifiable information used to establish or maintain an Internet services account."

S. 2825, the Cell Phone Early Termination Fee, Transparency and Fairness Act, puts a ceiling on what Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) calls "budget busting" early termination fees. And Lamar Smith's (R-TX) Internet Stopping Adults Facilitating the Exploitation of Today's Youth Act would clamp down on interstate financial transactions that involve child pornography.

In terms of general Internet/wireless issues, Verizon listed the following as central to the company's focus:

• Internet governance; Net Neutrality
• Telecommunications Act of 1996: revisions to Title I and Title II
• FCC's National Broadband Plan
• Privacy issues including potential updates to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act
• Retransmission consent
• Smart grid
• Anti child pornography efforts
• Wireless issues: competition, net neutrality, tower siting, FM radio chips in cell phones, RF labeling on cell phones, 4G rural plan, spectrum policy/allocation; public safety, D Block.

Meet our team

Who wandered about the halls of the Senate and House on Verizon's behalf regarding these matters? According to the Open Secrets database, lobbyists who in some instances have prior experience in government.

Shirley Bloomfield: press aide for the House Budget Committee; also worked for Rep. David Obey (D-WI).

Frank Cantrel Jr.: Tax Counsel for the Senate Finance Committee; Aide/Staff for former Senator Robert Packwood (R-OR).

Peter Davidson: General Counsel for former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX); General Counsel, Office of U.S. Trade Representative.

Robert Fisher: Legislative Assistant to Senator John McCain (R-AZ); Professional Staff Member, Senate Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee.

Brian Rice: Communications Policy Advisor for Senator John Kerry (D-MA).

Does that $4.44 million spent in Q2 represent a new record for Verizon? In 2008 and 2009, the company spent well over $15 million for lobbying each year. This year the firm has spent over $9 million so far. So we'll have to wait until the end of 2010 to know the final figure.

One thing is for sure, however: Verizon obviously cares a lot about how Congress governs the Internet, and is willing to spend what it takes to make its positions clear.

Other big Q2 spenders

National Cable and Telecommunications Association: $3,930,000

National Association of Broadcasters: $3,020,000

CTIA - The Wireless Association: $2,030,000

Consumer Electronics Association: $700,000

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Matthew Lasar writes for Ars Technica.