SACRAMENTO — Microsoft Corp. plays a pragmatic role in Capitol politics, giving campaign money to Gov. Gray Davis and hiring lobbyists who are close to the Democratic governor and Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer.
Lockyer inherited California's piece of the antitrust lawsuit from his Republican predecessor, Dan Lungren. Lungren then ran against Davis for governor, and Microsoft backed Davis. The company also backed Lockyer's opponent, who had promised to drop the case.
Microsoft has spent $855,220 on California state politics since 1999, reports filed with the secretary of state show. Though the sum is large, it doesn't place the company near the biggest spenders in Sacramento.
The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant employs two lobbying firms, Platinum Advisors and Sacramento Advocates. Platinum was founded by Darius Anderson as Davis was taking office in 1999, and Microsoft was among Anderson's first clients, retaining him in March of that year.
Anderson had been chief fund-raiser for Davis during the 1998 campaign and remains close to the governor and others in the administration. He quickly has built one of the top-billing lobbying firms in the capital. Before hiring Platinum Advisors, Microsoft had as its lobbyist Flanigan Law Firm, which was viewed as being close to Davis' predecessor, Pete Wilson.
Sacramento Advocates, also one of the top lobbying firms in the capital, counts among its partners Daniel Boatwright, a former Democratic state senator who was one of Lockyer's main allies when Lockyer was in the state Senate.
Davis has not spoken publicly about the Microsoft case. Boatwright could not be reached and Anderson declined to comment.
In filings with the secretary of state's office, Microsoft said it paid Sacramento Advocates $90,089 in the first nine months of this year and Platinum Advisors $40,064. Last year, the software firm spent $240,051 on lobbying; it spent $169,996 in 1999.
Microsoft's lobbying reports disclose no attempt to influence Lockyer or other state officials on antitrust issues. Rather, the documents say, its lobbying effort focuses on the governor's office, the state Department of Justice, the Department of General Services and the Legislature on issues related to privacy, piracy, state contracts for electronic government and legislation.
