Comcast Donations Help Company Secure Support of Time Warner Cable Merger
Comcast’s proposed $45.2-billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable has been criticized by angry customers, consumer advocacy groups, and even some members of Congress.
But Comcast has plenty of support, too, much of it from politicians and organizations that benefit from its political and charitable donations. With the deadline to submit initial comments on the merger to the Federal Communications Commission set to expire Monday, a number of elected officials and charities have urged the FCC to think favorably of Comcast during its merger review.
Charities supporting the acquisition include the Greater Washington Urban League, the Urban League of Broward County in Florida, the Boys and Girls Club of Rockford, Illinois, and the United Way of Tucson in Arizona. “Comcast has dedicated itself to advancing organizations like ours through financial support and partnerships,” the Greater Washington Urban League wrote.
Comcast fans also come from political organizations. The Democratic Governors Association asked the FCC “to consider Comcast’s impressive body of work and all that they do in helping strengthen the middle class and investing in our nation’s infrastructure.”
Comcast gave $225,000 to the Democratic Governors Association this year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The group includes the governors of Vermont, New Hampshire, California, Montana, New York, Colorado, Washington, Delaware, Maryland, and Illinois. Comcast is a prolific donor, giving money even to politicians and organizations who criticize the company.
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