A Republican former White House lawyer is advocating for Microsoft Corp. and Verizon Communications Inc., according to lobbying registration paperwork his law firm submitted to Congress last week.
John Schmitz, who was deputy counsel to President George H.W. Bush, is lobbying for Microsoft on antitrust matters and Verizon on issues related to patents and the U.S. International Trade Commission. Schmitz, the managing partner of Schmitz Global Partners, is handling the accounts with Martina Simpkins, a partner at his firm, which was formerly known as Gray & Schmitz.
Schmitz didn’t have an immediate comment.
Microsoft spent $1.79 million on federal government advocacy work during the first three months of this year, the technology company’s most recent congressional report on its lobbying activities shows. For its lobbying efforts, the company used its own employees and lobbyists from almost two dozen firms, including Blank Rome Government Relations, Covington & Burling and Patton Boggs, according to congressional records.
Verizon used $4.51 million for its federal government advocacy efforts during the first few months of 2012, according to the telecommunication company’s most recent congressional report on its lobbying activities. The company paid its own staffers and lobbyists from about 30 firms – including Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Mayer Brown and Venable – to lobby for it, congressional records show.
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