AT&T and T-Mobile spend $14 million on lobbying

AT&T and T-Mobile have spent a combined $14 million on lobbying so far in 2011, according to an examination of disclosure reports by liberal advocacy group Media Matters.

AT&T alone spent $4.9 million on lobbying in the second quarter of 2011, a 58 percent increase from the same period last year.

The figures do not include any money the companies spent at the state level.

The increase in lobbying efforts comes as the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission review AT&T's $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile.

Lawmakers have lined up on both sides of the merger debate; House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) announced his support of the deal on Tuesday. 

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Antitrust subpanel, said last month he thought regulators should block the merger.

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