Microsoft has accused Google of orchestrating covert lobbying campaigns to undermine its cloud computing business. The allegations come amid heightened scrutiny of major tech companies by regulators worldwide. Microsoft claims Google has launched a new astroturf group in Europe to criticize Microsoft’s practices and has offered millions to cloud providers to reject a settlement with Microsoft.
Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel has significantly increased its lobbying spending in Washington, seeking to secure its proposed $15 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel. The move comes amidst strong opposition from both Democrats and Republicans, who are concerned about the potential impact on American jobs and national security. Nippon Steel faces a challenging path to finalizing the deal, but its increased lobbying efforts demonstrate its commitment to pushing through the acquisition despite the obstacles.
The Parliamentary Ethics Committee will examine Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault’s business ties on Tuesday, June 4th. These connections have raised questions about potential conflicts of interest. The committee will investigate payments made between companies linked to Boissonnault, including a lobbying firm and a medical supply startup. Boissonnault has denied any wrongdoing, stating that he has met all ethical obligations. The hearings will determine whether Boissonnault’s actions complied with the Conflict of Interest Act, the Lobbying Act, and other codes of conduct.
Four top aides in House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office have announced plans to leave within 24 hours of each other, leading to significant staff turnover within the Republican leadership. Policy advisers Brittan Specht, Jason Yaworske, and Preston Hill are departing to join a lobbying firm, while deputy chief of staff for communications Raj Shah is also planning an exit. These departures come amid challenges faced by House Republicans, who hold a slim majority and face an uphill battle in the upcoming November 2024 elections.
The Parliamentary ethics committee has approved a motion to summon Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault and ethics commissioner Konrad von Finckenstein to testify about the minister’s alleged ties to a lobbyist and a medical supply company. Following investigations by Global News, concerns have been raised regarding Boissonnault’s business dealings, including his connections to a lobbyist who secured $110 million in federal grants for a client and his involvement in a PPE company that received $8.2 million in provincial and municipal contracts amidst legal challenges. The committee will examine potential violations of conflict of interest and lobbying laws, with the goal of publicly reporting its findings.
The City of Guelph has initiated the creation of a municipal lobbyist registry to promote transparency and prevent potential conflicts of interest. The registry will require individuals, corporations, and organizations engaging with council members or senior staff to register their names, contact information, and the dates of their interactions. Mayor Cam Guthrie emphasized the importance of disclosure to ensure that those seeking to influence decision-making have clear motives. The registry aims to cover both for-profit and non-profit entities with financial interests or seeking grant funding. While some municipalities have implemented similar registries, Guelph’s initiative is part of a wider effort to establish a province-wide system with consistent rules.
President Biden has signed a bill that could ban TikTok in the United States, despite the multi-million dollar lobbying efforts of the platform and its parent company ByteDance. TikTok and ByteDance spent over $3 million lobbying Congress, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The bill, which was included in a foreign aid package, would force ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban in the US. TikTok has denied ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), but former employees have alleged that the company continues to share US users’ data with ByteDance. A study by the Network Contagion Research Institute and Rutgers University also found that TikTok frequently promotes content that mirrors the CCP’s geopolitical agenda.
TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have collectively invested over $7 million this year in lobbying efforts to prevent a potential ban of the app in the United States. ByteDance has spent a record $2.68 million on in-house lobbyists, while TikTok has allocated over $4.5 million to an ad campaign opposing legislation targeting the app. These expenditures aim to educate policymakers about the legislation’s potential impact on TikTok’s 170 million American users. The disclosures indicate that TikTok officials have lobbied Congress and the Biden administration, including the National Security Council and the Office of Management and Budget. While the House has passed legislation that would require ByteDance to divest TikTok within nine months, the Senate is expected to vote on a similar bill on Tuesday. Additionally, ByteDance has retained external consultants, including veteran lobbyist David Urban, to influence Congress.
Advocacy groups are petitioning the Swiss National Bank (SNB) to include Bitcoin in its reserves. In 2022, a report suggested that the SNB purchase 1 billion Swiss francs worth of Bitcoin monthly instead of German government bonds.
In private meetings, Oracle executives discussed data storage arrangements for TikTok with Senate aides. The House had already passed a bill potentially banning the app, prompting concerns for Oracle, its data center provider. Oracle claims to have only provided technical guidance to lawmakers, despite the potential financial impact of a ban on TikTok.
