Tech Giants Pour Millions into California Politics

Tech giants are pouring millions of dollars into California politics, attempting to influence the state's regulatory landscape. According to recent data, tech companies have surpassed traditional industries like oil and gas in terms of lobbying spending.

Meta and Google are leading the charge, with Meta making 34 behested payments totaling $1.245 million at the request of California officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom. Google made a single behested payment worth $10,000 to support Senate Bill 53, which imposed requirements on large AI model creators.

Other tech players, such as OpenAI and Anthropic, are also ramping up their lobbying efforts. Meanwhile, cryptocurrency companies like Coinbase and A16Z are making significant contributions to state campaigns and lobbying efforts.