SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Google’s U.S. lobbying bill more than tripled to $3.76 million in the fourth quarter.
The dramatic increase came as the Internet search leader fought proposed changes to online piracy laws and sought to influence a wide range of other issues that could affect its fortunes.
The amount that Google Inc. spent making its political points from October through December is by far the company’s highest lobbying tab for any three-month period since its Washington office opened in 2005. The total compares with a lobbying budget of $1.24 million during the final three months of 2010.
For all of 2011, Google spent $9.7 million on political persuasion, nearly doubling from $5.2 million in 2010.
The fourth-quarter lobbying figures were filed late Friday with the U.S. House clerk’s office.