Apple hires new D.C. lobbyists, former G. W. Bush staffers to influence U.S. federal government

“Apple has hired new lobbying help in D.C. this year as high-wattage Beltway battles over taxes, trade, privacy and patent reform begin to reverberate as far as Silicon Valley,” Tony Romm reports for Politico. “Official lobbying disclosures show the company picked up the firm Fierce, Isakowitz and Blalock on Feb. 1 to handle ‘innovation’ issues in Washington… Apple is regularly outspent by many of its top competitors — including Microsoft, which shelled out almost $7 million to canvass the Capitol on top tech issues 2010. Apple, meanwhile, spent just over $1.6 million on lobbying over the same period.”

“Apple’s 2010 lobbying forms reflect the company has been… speaking to lawmakers and federal regulators about patents, research funding, free trade agreements and taxes,” Romm reports. “It’s new outside firm, Fierce, Isakowitz and Blalock, has handled some of those issues for other industry clients such as CTIA, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, Time Warner Cable and the Coalition for Patent Fairness.”

“Among the lobbyists handling Apple’s work is firm president Mark Isakowitz, who previously headed up federal relations for the National Federation of Independent Business. Isakowitz’s resume also includes work on former President George W. Bush’s transition team, and time spent as press secretary for Rep. Paul Gilmor (R-Ohio), a former top member of the House Commerce Committee,” Romm reports. “Also on the team is Kirk Blalock, a firm partner who previously served under Bush as a special assistant and deputy director of the Office of Public Liaison. Kristen Chadwick, another lobbyist listed on the filing, previously served as a special assistant on legislative affairs for Bush until 2004.”

Read more in the full article here.

[Attribution: MacNN. Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lynn W.” for the heads up.]