Big tech sweeps up Hill staffers — just when Congress needs them the most

Silicon Valley and the telecom industry are snatching up some of the top Democratic policy experts on Capitol Hill — just as Congress gears up for fights with the companies.

The brain drain has seen more than a dozen senior Democratic tech and telecom policy staffers leaving their posts this year, according to a POLITICO review of recent exits, with many taking lobbying roles at powerhouses including Facebook, Verizon, Apple, Charter Communications, the National Association of Broadcasters and the cloud company VMware. They’re leaving members’ personal offices as well as the Senate...