August 16, 2007 5:36 AM PDT

Microsoft's anti-Google lobbyists, revealed

by Anne Broache
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If it wasn't official before, we have it in writing now: Microsoft is directing at least a small fraction of its massive (by tech industry standards) lobbying shop toward Google's proposed purchase of DoubleClick.

Thomas Boggs

(Credit: Patton Boggs)

According to a recent public disclosure filing with the U.S. Senate, Redmond has retained veteran lobbyists Thomas Boggs and Kathleen Ireland (no, not that Kathy Ireland), along with Antitrust Modernization Commission vice chairman and former Clinton White House attorney Jonathan Yarowsky. All of them work for the prominent law firm Patton Boggs.

Their charge, according to the paperwork? "Competitive issues surrounding Google-DoubleClick merger."

As the Federal Trade Commission continues to weigh whether the the $3.1 billion deal passes antitrust muster, Microsoft has made no secret of its concerns, which center on claims that the merger raises serious competitive questions in the online-ad space.

Google, meanwhile, has repeatedly said it's confident that the acquisition will benefit consumers and that the threat from its rival can be contained.

Although the filing is marked as received on August 9, the "effective date" of the lobbyists' registration is actually May 15. That's around the same time Google disclosed that it had picked up four new lobbyists, including a former high-ranking Department of Justice antitrust lawyer, to help make the case for its buy. Neither company has agreed to talk in more detail about its lobbying efforts.

It wasn't immediately clear whether the timing of Microsoft's latest lobbying filing has anything to do with sealing its own ad buy--a $6 billion takeover of the firm Aquantive--last Friday. That deal had already cleared an antitrust waiting period with federal regulators.

The Associated Press first noted Microsoft's new disclosure in a Wednesday story.

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wait, let me get this straight
by shane--2008 August 16, 2007 7:38 AM PDT
microsoft plays dirty? are you serious?

what is this world coming too?!?

next i guess we will find out that the pope is catholic......
Reply to this comment
The Pope is ...
by kool_skatkat August 16, 2007 9:04 AM PDT
yes, he is...
Some may argue about his christianity, but Catholic.. that he is.
'Plays dirty'? How?
by catch23 August 16, 2007 10:53 AM PDT
this is quite typical. It isn't dirty, unfair, or anything else.

MS would be playing 'stupid' if they didn't
Another dirty secret: former VP Al Gore is on Apple's board of directors!
by fc11 August 16, 2007 8:19 AM PDT
Cooperations always have lobbying efforts. Former vice president Al Gore is on Apply's board. There are Gun lobbying and big Oil Lobbying. Boeing have lobbying.

So, what is new about this news? It talks about Microsoft. Many people believe that Microsoft is doing evil, and they are looking for evidence. This is exactly what people want to read. In fact if you open any old text book about the evils of politics and capitalism (especially text books in old socialist Russia and China), you can easily find a lot evils of Microsoft.
Reply to this comment
Google Does Plenty of Anti-MS Lobbying
by john55440 August 16, 2007 9:19 AM PDT
Microsoft is just doing what Google does.
Reply to this comment
Sourse? nt
by The_Decider August 16, 2007 10:57 AM PDT
nt
View reply
We know that already
by t8 August 16, 2007 2:46 PM PDT
Microsoft have no vision of their own, they rely on Google for the road ahead.

:)
MS better be careful
by The_Decider August 16, 2007 10:59 AM PDT
After all, in an effort to copy Google they recently overpaid by a considerable sum for a similar company, Aquantive.
Reply to this comment
Fair Point
by Renegade Knight August 16, 2007 12:29 PM PDT
MS may have to Divest itself of it's own acquisition.
google asked for it..
by FutureGuy August 16, 2007 3:01 PM PDT
..google sued MS for improving desktop search on its own os, a feature it had from day one and that most other os's have.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/26/microsoft_google_desktop_search/

google asked for it, kudos's to MS.
Reply to this comment
they could have tried harder
by unibomber44 August 18, 2007 9:06 PM PDT
Microsoft is so pathetic. They lost the Doubleclick fight because
their business development guys f***ed up. Valued the
company improperly. Bid for exclusivity arrogantly, like they
always do. Then got all upset when Google bid more than them.
Then tried to bid more, and got upset again when that bid was
turned down.

Now they opt for the antitrust argument. Which will lose just
like all the other half-baked efforts over the last couple years.
They bought AdECN like suckers, and then paid about $3B too
much for Atlas. And they wonder why they're an also-ran.

It's always too little, too late with these guys, from Ballmer on
down. That's why Gates puts all his money in his own
foundation, that's why anyone of talent goes elsewhere, and
tha's why the stock's been flat since Clinton was president.
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