Democrats to FCC Chair Ajit Pai: Get Ready, We’re Coming for You

The Donald Trump-appointed Federal Communications Commission Chair Ajit Pai is best known as the architect of last year’s net neutrality repeal, a move that puts decisions over which information sources Americans can readily access online into the hands of giant telecommunications corporations. But according to two high-ranking Democrats, that isn’t all Pai has been up to as Republicans controlled both houses of Congress, neglecting to provide basic oversight of the FCC. House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle penned an open letter to Pai earlier this week in which they warn Pai that with Democrats now in charge after the 2018 midterm elections, the Commerce Committee will be "reassuming its traditional role of oversight to ensure the agency is acting in the best interest of the public and consistent with its legislative authority.” And that Pai will be a target of their “oversight.” “Under your leadership, the FCC has failed repeatedly to act in the public interest and placed the interest of corporations over consumers,” the two Democrats wrote, in what appears to be a reference to net neutrality repeal. “The FCC should be working to advance the goals of public safety, consumer protection, affordable access, and connectivity across the United States. To that end, it is incumbent upon the Committee's leadership and its members to oversee the activities of the FCC.” The two Democrats also said that they want to see more openness from Pai, since the FCC under his stewardship has a long record of ignoring consumer complaints, and simply failing to respond to legitimate Freedom of Information Act requests, according to Ars Technica.  On Thursday, the Communications and Technology Subcommittee will hold a public hearing on the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality.  “An open internet has been vital to the growth of the internet, especially for consumers, entrepreneurs and free speech. The FCC’s repeal of these essential protections—known as net neutrality—has been a disaster for consumers,” Doyle and Pallone said, in announcing the hearing. The hearing, titled “Preserving an Open Internet for Consumers, Small Businesses, and Free Speech,” is scheduled for 11 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, February 7. A live stream of the hearing will be available at this link. Photo by Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons