Google drops $5 million on DC lobbying in 2010

Google spent more money in Washington in 2010 as it tried to make its case while fending off federal regulators.

Doing business in the nation's capital requires some expenses, and this year's lobbying efforts set Google back $5.16 million, a 28 percent increase from last year's total of $4.03 million, according to the Lobbying Disclosure Act Database. Google's interests on Capitol Hill won't surprise many: the company lobbied Congress on issues such as the Internet freedom push from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, cloud computing, intellectual property, data privacy, and Google's pending acquisition of ITA Software. That last item will require some additional expenditure in 2011, as Google works to get its purchase approved before the Department of Justice decides to level a formal challenge to the deal. After a slow start, Google has ramped up its presence in D.C. over the last couple of years in response to a growing number of interests as well as increased government scrutiny.