[Techtaffy Newsdesk]

Google and Facebook continued pumping money into their lobbying efforts during the second quarter to influence federal lawmakers and regulators, according to disclosure forms filed with the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, points out Consumer Watchdog.

Google’s second quarter lobbying spending soared 90 per cent to $3.92 million compared to $2.06 million in the comparable 2011 period, the records filed last Friday night showed. For the first six months of the year Google spent $8.95 million. That compares with $3.54 million in the first six months of 2011. It comes close to the $9.7 million spent in all of 2011.

Facebook set a record for its spending as well. The social networking company spent $960,000, a 200 percent increase from $320,000 in the second quarter of 2011. Facebook spent $650,000 in the first quarter of 2012 compared to $230,000 in the first quarter of 2011. Facebook’s lobbying expenses totaled $1.61 millionfor the first six months.

A look at some of the lobbying expenses disclosures:

• Microsoft spent $2.01 million in the second quarter an 8.6 percent increase from $1.85 million in the second quarter a year ago. Its first quarter lobbying expenses were $1.79 million up from $1.72 million a year ago. For the six months, Microsoft spent $3.80 million.
• Apple spent $470,000 in the second quarter, a 41 percent decrease from $790,000 a year ago. In the first quarter Apple spent $500,000 a slight decrease from $560,000 in the comparable period a year ago. For the six months Apple spent $970,000.
• Amazon spent $690,000 in the second quarter, a 53 percent increase from $450,000 a year ago. The first quarter expense was $650,000, up slightly from $630,000 a year ago. Total lobbying expenses for the first half were $1.34 million.
• Yahoo spent $730,000 compared to $640,000 a year ago, an increase of 14 percent. First quarter lobbying expenses increased to $650,000 from $580,000 in 2011. First half lobbying expenses totaled $1.38 million.
• Verizon spent $3.94 million, a decrease of 10 percent from $4.38 million. In the first quarter it spent $4.51 million compared to $4.68 million a year ago. It spent a total of $8.5 million in the first six months.
• AT&T spent $3.49 million a decrease of 28 percent from $4.85 million in 2011. In the first quarter it spent $7.05 million compared to $6.84 million a year ago. So far this year it has spent a total of $10.5 million.

You can search for disclosure details in the Clerk of the House of Representatives Lobbying Disclosure Database here.