AT&T and its intended, DirecTV, gain DC clout via their contributions, fundraising and lobbying expenditures. Another way their power is revealed is in just how much they make themselves known before the FCC. The answer: a lot.
Continue readingPatent cash flows to Senate Judiciary Committee members
A technical fight over elements of the patent law is drawing lots of big special interest money on both sides.... View Article
Continue readingToday at Supreme Court: Influence heavyweights battle over access to TV airwaves
The Supreme Court today takes up two cases questioning the government's right to regulate the TV airwaves, and plenty of money and influence is involved. Sunlight profiles some of the key players.
Continue readingMusic, movie industries giving to Rep. pushing for copyright enforcement
The House Judiciary Committee chairman backing a bill that would allow the Justice department to force internet service providers to take down websites committing copyright infringement has leading communications companies bankrolling his campaign.
Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, has seen nearly $393,000 from the TV/music/movies industry during his Congressional career and it ranks fifth among the top industries supporting him. It's legacy companies in that industry — along with other broadcasting and recording industry groups — that would benefit from stricter enforcement of pirated content that could come from Smith's H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act ...
Continue readingNet neutrality: Do campaign contributions tell the whole story?
After 74 Democratic members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski warning that the FCC should not advance net neutrality rules without explicit direction from Congress, Free Press put together a page showing career campaign contributors from PACs, employees and lobbyists of interests that oppose the measure, intended to keep the Internet a level playing field.
The biggest recipient of telecom campaign cash was Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., who took in more than $128,000--over the course of an 18-year career, that averages out to about $14,400 an election cycle. Four ...
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