Google is a very political company. While other tech giants like Microsoft and Apple needed to be coaxed and threatened into the Beltway swamp, Google never hesitated. It was an early advocate of net neutrality regulations, and Google’s top lobbyists ended up with White House gigs.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt is particularly political. He was a campaign advisor and major donor to Barack Obama, and when he announced he was leaving that perch, he planned to remain “at the forefront of Google’s government relations team.” And Obama even has considered him for Commerce Secretary.