Fight for the Future Targets Senate Democrats Who Voted to Confirm Pai
Fight for the Future launched a campaign Tuesday targeting the four Senate Democrats who voted Monday in favor of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's reconfirmation. The Senate confirmed Pai on a 52-41 vote, prompting reaction that divided sharply between supporters and…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
opponents of the FCC's 2015 net neutrality rules (see 1710020062 and 1710030064). All four Democrats -- Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Gary Peters of Michigan and Jon Tester of Montana -- previously told us they were leaning toward confirming Pai (see 1709280056). Manchin and Peters separately told reporters they were impressed by Pai's focus on increasing rural broadband deployment. “I just need a lot of help in West Virginia, and he’s been moving in that direction,” Manchin said. Pai has been “very receptive to ways to expand broadband access” in Michigan's Upper Peninsula region, Peters said. Manchin and Peters noted ongoing concerns with Pai's bid to rescind 2015 net neutrality rules, which figured prominently in other Senate Democrats' floor speeches opposing the chairman (see 1709150060). Peters said he will now work to “hold [Pai] accountable” on net neutrality. McCaskill and Tester previously cited work with Pai on policy issues like oversight of the Lifeline USF program as a reason to reconfirm him. FFTF tweeted that the four Democrats “voted for an FCC chairman that wants to allow Internet censorship, throttling, and extra fees” and urged the group's supporters to call the senators' offices.