It doesn’t matter how many people hate you, so long as you’re putting enough money in the pockets that matter, you can pretty much anything you want. That’s how it seems to work in the United States and that’s exactly what Comcast is doing to help gather support from various organizations for the companies near universally opposed merger with Time Warner Cable.
The letters have come from all around the United States — from the Nutmeg Big Brothers and Big Sisters in Connecticut, the Houston Area Urban League and even the Dan Marino Foundation in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — some praising the Comcast Corporation, others urging the federal government to stand aside and approve Comcast’s proposed takeover of Time Warner Cable. The argument has been reinforced by a blitz of academic papers from groups like the International Center for Law and Economics in Portland, Ore. More endorsements have come in from elected officials like Gov. Phil Bryant, a Republican of Mississippi, and Fred Crespo, a Democratic state representative in Illinois. “The merger will not hinder competition but will bring better technology to more consumers,” Mr. Bryant said. But there is a common element to dozens of these appeals: The senders received money from Comcast in recent years, either as a charitable donation, corporate support or a political contribution, records show.
