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Apple's top lobbyist nominated for US State Department position

Catherine Novelli. | Source: C-SPAN

Last updated

Apple's vice president of Worldwide Government Affairs Catherine Novelli has been nominated by President Barack Obama for Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, a post at the State Department.


The nomination to President Barack Obama's administration was made official on Tuesday by the White House, reports AllThingsD.

Since 2007, Novelli has been employed as Apple's lead lobbyist, but her pedigree in U.S. politics dates back to the 1980s. From 1985 to 1991, Novelli served in the Office of the General Counsel at the Department of Commerce and was a top trade representative for the George W. Bush administration.

While Apple isn't known for its lobbying prowess, the company has ramped up its presence in Washington after becoming the largest tech company in the world. According to a Reuters report from May, Apple spent around $2 million in its lobbying efforts last year, but is expected to double that in 2013. Chief among the company's concerns is taxation on profits held by offshore subsidiaries.

In comparison to other tech firms, Apple's spending is quite low. For example, Microsoft's lobbying expenditures were pegged at $8 million in 2012, while Google spent $16.5 million during the same period.

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Prior to Apple, Novelli was a partner at law firm Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw.

8 Comments

tallest skil 15 Years · 43086 comments

Why does Apple have lobbyists? Eh, I guess if anyone knows about removing harmful products, it’s Apple. 


Request to preemptively move this thread to PO, though. 

constable odo 18 Years · 1040 comments

Will this help Apple in any way, or her post just a waste of time for all concerned? Apple spent $2 million on lobbying? Good grief. No wonder Apple has no clout anywhere.

ochyming 19 Years · 472 comments

That is what Democracy is all about. 

Democracy is an arena, where different interests fight for a better position.

Yes, it is a fight that should have impartial referees.

Referees are the people.

 

Democracy does not equal justice per se.

libertyforall 17 Years · 1417 comments

You know what they say, the fusion of big government and big business = fascism!  We do not want fascism!  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics_of_fascism

 

Watch the documentary movie:  America:  Freedom to Fascism

http://freedomtofascism.com

libertyforall 17 Years · 1417 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ochyming 
 

That is what Democracy is all about. 

Democracy is an arena, where different interests fight for a better position.

Yes, it is a fight that should have impartial referees.

Referees are the people.

 

Democracy does not equal justice per se.

 

When did you EVER read that the United States is a democracy?  You will not find the word "democracy" even once in the Constitution!  It is not, it is a Constitutional Republic.  We only democratically elect our leaders.  

 
Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what is for dinner.