Photo by Kyle Walton.

No, really.

The New York Times reported yesterday that in December, AT&T delivered thousands of cupcakes from the Georgetown bakery to members of the FCC, journalists and others throughout the city as part of an annual lobbying blitz:

In this covetous town, the delicacies of the Georgetown Cupcake shop stand alone as symbols of wish fulfillment — heaping swirls of luscious confection atop rich, creamy pastry.

Therefore: Operation Cupcake. As the Federal Communications Commission debated final rules last December on how Internet service providers should manage their traffic, AT&T delivered 1,500 of the opulent desserts to the F.C.C.’s headquarters here.

Public Knowledge, which first uncovered the story, further detailed the handouts: 127 dozen cupcakes (that’s 1,524) worth $3,700, delivered to 63 offices and departments. Just imagine how many they might be handing out ahead of a decision on the possible merger of AT&T and T-Mobile, which would create the largest cell phone carrier in the country.

I’ve never understood the appeal of Georgetown Cupcake — much less the lines that form outside its doors — but this may be another reason to steer my business towards Baked and Wired. At least they’re not paving the road to less reliable, more expensive cellphone service with creamy frosting.