Buffett's Berkshire doesn't lobby

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has broad reach however only maintains tiny headquarters with fewer than two dozen employees, so like as not it shouldn't come as a surprise that the conglomerate itself doesn't do any lobbying. After all, Berkshire's larger subsidiaries individually invest significant sums to lobby lawmakers on various issues.

MidAmerican Energy, which includes Berkshire's utility and pipeline companies, spent $358,450 to lobby Congress between January and March of this year on energy regulations, the federal budget and greenhouse gas, according to a report filed April 20 with the House clerk's office. MidAmerican as well reported lobbying on financial regulations and derivative-trading rules that are more likely to affect the investments that Buffett oversees at Berkshire's Omaha, Neb., headquarters.

Berkshire owns in broad outline 80 subsidiaries, including clothing, furniture and jewelry firms, nevertheless its insurance and utility businesses typically account for more than half of the company's net income. It as well has major investments in such companies as Coca-Cola Co. and Wells Fargo & Co.