McLaughlin, who was Googles first public policy executive, built Googles presence in Washington, helping promote the Mountain View, California-based companys position on topics such as online privacy, so-called net neutrality and copyrights.
McLaughlins departure highlights the connections between Google, the most popular Internet search engine, and the Obama administration. Google Chief Executive Officer Eric Schmidt is part of the presidents council of advisers on science and technology. Schmidt also campaigned for the governments economic stimulus package, which was passed earlier this year.
“We wish Andrew the best of luck and thank him for everything hes done for Google during his time here,” Google said yesterday in an e-mailed statement. The White Houses press department didnt have an immediate comment.
McLaughlin is also an emeritus fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School, where he worked on regulation of the Internet and telecommunications networks. He also has worked on projects to expand Internet use in developing countries in Africa and the Middle East, according to a biography on Harvards Web site.
From 1999 to 2002, McLaughlin helped start the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, which coordinates Internet domain names and computer addresses.
Aneesh Chopra
Obama named Aneesh Chopra, Virginias secretary of technology, as his chief technology officer in April. Obama said at the time that Chopra would “help the country meet its goals, from job creation, to reducing health care costs, to protecting the homeland.”
Google has sometimes found itself in conflict with the administration. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is examining whether Apple Inc. and Google are breaking antitrust law by sharing board members, a person familiar with the investigation said on May 5. The Justice Department also has looked into Googles settlement with publishers over its book-scanning project.
McLaughlins move was reported yesterday by the New York Times.
Google rose $6.83 to $417.23 yesterday in Nasdaq Stock Market trading. The shares have advanced 36 percent this year.