Telecom mergers big biz in DC

Sorry Wall Street, Washington’s ground zero for the big-money world of telecom deals.

A string of the most important telecom providers have spent big inside the Beltway recently to get their deals done — or even mess with the competition. While big companies have always cared about Washington – especially those in highly regulated industries — the influence of lawmakers and regulators over private markets have grown in recent years. That’s meant bigger spending in Washington, where high-profile campaigns are business as usual.