Comcast Recruits Its Beneficiaries to Lobby for Time Warner Deal

The letters have come from all around the United States -- from the Nutmeg Big Brothers and Big Sisters in Connecticut, the Houston Area Urban League and even the Dan Marino Foundation in Fort Lauderdale (FL) -- some praising the Comcast Corporation, others urging the federal government to stand aside and approve Comcast’s proposed takeover of Time Warner Cable. The argument has been reinforced by a blitz of academic papers from groups like the International Center for Law and Economics in Portland (OR). More endorsements have come in from elected officials like Gov. Phil Bryant (R-MS), and state Rep Fred Crespo (D-IL). “The merger will not hinder competition but will bring better technology to more consumers,” Gov Bryant said.

But there is a common element to dozens of these appeals: The senders received money from Comcast in recent years, either as a charitable donation, corporate support or a political contribution, records show. It is a demonstration of how Comcast, the media conglomerate long known for its aggressive lobbying operation, has enlisted a vast network of allies to press federal regulators to approve the $45 billion transaction, much as it did in 2010 as it sought to acquire NBCUniversal. But even while Comcast has been busy working to mobilize this support -- it had a huge team of 124 federal lobbyists working for it in 2014 -- there is growing chatter in Washington that it has been less successful this time in making the public case for its deal.