Free dinner with Amazon

With online giants Google, Facebook, and Twitter drawing increased scrutiny from congressional members of both parties regarding the spread of fake news and alleged political bias, a top staffer to Republican House member Darrell Issa set off last month on an all-expenses paid trip to get the industry’s point of view.

The Information Technology Innovation Foundation picked up total costs of $1239.42 for James Tyler Grimm’s three-day October trek to Seattle on the nonprofit’s Education Series Staff Trip. Among other highlights, per a November 3 disclosure report, participants heard from “the leadership team at the video game publisher Nintendo” regarding “how state and local legislators can help cultivate welcoming environments for computer and video game companies.” The excursion included a tour of Facebook’s engineering office and “a brief tour of Amazon’s Seattle headquarters,” along with a Microsoft Hololens demonstration and “dinner discussion of cross-border data flows and lawful access/digital privacy issues” at the company’s Redmond campus. Not to be outdone, Amazon featured an after-dinner “fireside chat” with an unnamed senior executive. “The conversation will cover telecom policy, cybersecurity issues, and transportation modernization, among other themes.”

Elephant protection politics La Jolla Democratic congressman Scott Peters, a longtime champion of takeover candidate Qualcomm and other high-tech ventures run by his wealthy contributors, has another endangered species to save. “Elephant poaching is increasing at an alarming rate,” warns a recent Peters email to constituents. “By allowing these cruel imports, Donald Trump is giving the green light to illegal activity and is putting one of the world’s most majestic species that’s facing extinction at risk. Frankly, we’re disgusted.”

Wealth-management expert Frank Cuenca is one of the latest donors to the anti-SoccerCity cause, with $25,000 to Friends of SDSU, the political committee that wants San Diego State to take charge of the city-owned location formerly known as Qualcomm Stadium. SDSU alumnus Cuenca, who made his contribution November 20, “consults and works in conjunction with a few of the larger sports foundations in the San Diego area, greatly assisting and insuring the continuance of collegiate and youth athletic programs in the San Diego area,” per his online profile.