Former Obama aide lobbying for T-Mobile-Sprint merger

A former Obama White House aide has been working for Sprint to push for its proposed $26 billion merger with T-Mobile, according to a filing submitted to Congress.

The filing, which was posted Monday, shows that Broderick Johnson, now a lobbyist with Covington & Burling, has been working for Sprint since Feb. 4.

Johnson previously served as an assistant to former President Obama and as his liaison to Cabinet officials from 2014 to 2017.

{mosads}Sitting Democrats have largely opposed the deal out of concern about further consolidation of the wireless market. But T-Mobile and Sprint have hired or won over some top current and former Democratic officials.

Former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn announced earlier this year that she would be advising the two companies on their deal. And a handful of House Democrats, led by Rep. Anna Eshoo (Calif.), have backed the merger.

It’s unclear if that will help the deal win approval from the FCC and Department of Justice. Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that the companies were facing pushback from regulators over concerns about the deal’s potential impact on competition.