Qualcomm, General Atomics, Sempra Spend Millions on Federal Lobbying

Diego’s Qualcomm Inc. has already spent $1,930,000 on federal lobbying through May 2, according to the website OpenSecrets.org. That’s more or less on the same pace as in 2010, when the cell phone giant spent $6,500,000 for the entire year. It compares with the $340,000 year to date spent by drone-maker General Atomics, which rang up a 2010 total of $2,020,000. Sempra Energy has spent $230,000 this year; last year the company paid out $1,010,000. Synthetic Genomics, run by genetic engineer and UCSD alumnus J. Craig Venter, has spent $80,000 so far this year; last year the company spent $320,000.