SAN FRANCISCO – Google’s quarterly lobbying expenses surpassed US$2 million for the first time during the spring and early summer. Google surpassed the milestone amid U.S. government scrutiny that hatched a wide-ranging investigation into the Internet search leader’s business practices.
The company says it spent nearly $2.1 million trying to make its points with lawmakers and regulators during the April-June period. That’s a 54 per cent increase from $1.34 million at the same time last year.
The latest numbers were in documents filed late Wednesday.
This year’s second quarter lobbying bill is by far the largest that Google Inc. has run up since opening its Washington, D.C., office in 2005.
In another first, Google is now spending more on lobbying than Microsoft Corp., a fierce rival and critic that has urged government regulators to rein in Google.
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