Apple spent $1.86 million in lobbying expenditures in the third quarter of 2017, a 74% increase from $1.07 million from the same period in 2016, according to a new report from Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit organization dedicated “to providing an effective voice for taxpayers and consumers in an era when special interests dominate public discourse, government and politics.”
But that’s a drop in the bucket compared to some companies. AT&T and Google third-quarter lobbying expenditures this year both topped $4 million with the telecommunications conglomerate barely edging out the Internet giant for having spent the most money in the period to influence federal policymakers, Consumer Watchdog said today.
AT&T barely kept the lead as its 2017 third quarter expenses increased to $4.43 million from $4.11 million, an 8% increase from the third quarter of 2016, according to lobbying disclosure reports filed Friday with the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Google increased its 2017 third-quarter federal lobbying spending 9% to $4.17 million from $3.81 million in the comparable 2016 period, but remained in second place in lobbying expenditures among 16 technology and communications companies tracked by Consumer Watchdog.
