US technology company’s top Washington campaigner stepping down

Susan Molinari, Vice President of Public Policy and Government Relations at Google (L) walks with Brazil President Dilma Rousseff as she arrives at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California July 1, 2015. [Photo: Reuters]

WASHINGTON - Google’s top lobbyist in Washington is stepping aside as the U.S. technology company faces criticism on Capitol Hill on issues including privacy protections and its investment plans in China, the Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) unit said on Friday.

Former U.S. Representative Susan Molinari, who has run Google’s Washington office and its Americas Policy team for nearly seven years, will move to a new job as senior advisor in January, the company said in a statement. Google is seeking a new head of Americas policy, it added.