FC: Technology, politics, and lobbying

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

[There are some very intelligent and well-meaning folks urging Internet
regulation, in the name of protecting children, or privacy, or fairness, or
the public interest. Some federal laws may be appropriate. But turning the
Net into a regulated industry means that firms must compete by buying
influence like this below rather than competing in the marketplace. And
whoever's best-connected or a former assistant undersecretary or friends
with the senator's daughter or whatnot wins, not the firm with the best
product. --DBM]


> From: MLRN () aol com
> Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1999 15:26:16 EST
> Subject: DC is cesspool
> To: declan () well com
>
> NOVEMBER 12, 21:40 EST 
>
> Bermuda Co. Pays $2.5M to Lobby 
>
> By MATT KELLEY
> Associated Press Writer 
>
> WASHINGTON (AP) ^× A Bermuda-based company paid the former head of the
Justice 
> Department's antitrust division more than $2.5 million during the first half 
> of the year to lobby federal officials on a trans-Pacific communications 
> cable, records show. 
>
> Anne Bingaman contacted the Federal Communications Commission, the White 
> House Council of Economic Advisors and other federal officials on behalf of 
> Global Crossing, Ltd., according to a lobbyist disclosure report filed with 
> Congress. 
>
> Mrs. Bingaman is the wife of Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M. 
>
> Global Crossing hired Mrs. Bingaman as its head lawyer in efforts to get an 
> FCC license for a $1.28 billion project 

[...]

> Mrs. Bingaman also had worked for the victor in the bidding war for U S
West, 
> Qwest Communications. Mrs. Bingaman was a top executive at Qwest after she 
> left the Justice Department in 1996 until mid-1998. She was hired by Global 
> Crossing shortly afterward. 

[...]


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