WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Big spending lobbyists, including the George Soros-backed Open Society Policy Center and Chinese telecom giant ZTE helped boost spending on lobbyists to the highest level since 2010, the Center for Responsive Politics said in a press release on Thursday.
“Nearly $2.6 billion has been spent on lobbyists so far, the most through three quarters since 2010 and $100 million more than at this point in 2017,” the release said. “Third-quarter spending is up by approximately $30 million over last year.”
The Soros organization spent $7.7 million in the third quarter and $20.5 million overall this year, the release said.
ZTE more than quadrupled its lobbying spending over last year, spending $770,000 in the third quarter, after shelling out nearly $1.4 million in the second quarter, the release added.
The three tech giants Google parent Alphabet (nearly $16.8 million through three quarters), Amazon ($10.6 million) and Facebook ($9.8 million) all spent more year-over-year, while Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) had its biggest quarter ever by spending $1.65 million, the release noted.
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The most-lobbied legislation in the third quarter related to Department of Defense appropriations for the 2019 fiscal year, with 569 clients jumping into the debate, according to the release.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
