Group urges Hill to investigate Google's relationship with agencies

A new report by Consumer Watchdog accuses the Obama administration of having an inappropriately close relationship with Google, allowing the company to escape scrutiny.

The group released the report Monday, along with a letter calling on House Oversight chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., to investigate Google's relationship with government agencies.

"(Google) should not get special treatment and access because of a special relationship with the Administration," the letter states. "Our report only reveals only part of the picture. The House Oversight & Government Reform Committee has subpoena power if necessary. We urge you to use all the tools at the committee's disposal to reveal the extent of Google's influence on the government and how the Internet giant has unfairly benefited."

The report says the Internet giant benefited from access to a government airfield and escaped vigorous government investigation into the controversy over Google's Street View cars, which gathered personal information from private wireless networks.

"An ambitious quest for influence with the US government is starting to pay off for search giant Google," the report states.

A Google spokesperson dismissed the report in a statement Monday. "This is just the latest in a long list of press stunts from an organization that admits to working closely with our competitors."