Cortez Masto GOP Challenger Presses Her to Publicly Oppose Sohn
Nevada Republican Senate candidate Adam Laxalt again (see 2203230071) urged his opponent, Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, to publicly oppose FCC nominee Gigi Sohn’s confirmation. Cortez Masto is one of three Democrats who have remained publicly undecided on Sohn, a…
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primary reason her confirmation process has been stalled since March (see 2203030070). All 50 Senate Democrats would need to back Sohn to overcome expected united GOP opposition to the nominee. Cortez Masto isn’t expected to take a position on Sohn until after the November election (see 2209130065). Cortez Masto “has a responsibility to strongly oppose” Sohn due to perceptions she’s “an anti-police radical,” Laxalt said Thursday. He cited the Fraternal Order of Police’s assertions (see 2201040071) that she “publicly supported defunding the police and repeatedly promoted social media posts attacking law enforcement.” Sohn’s supporters repeatedly countered FOP’s claims (see 2205050050). Cortez Masto’s Senate office and campaign didn’t comment. Digital Liberty Executive Director James Erwin, meanwhile, said the current FCC “has proven entirely capable of delivering on numerous bipartisan priorities that will improve connectivity, spur innovation and ensure taxpayer resources are being efficiently spent” despite being in a 2-2 tie. “Sohn’s radical record is disqualifying on the merits, but no Democrat can say with a straight face that the Biden FCC has been hampered by the 2-2 partisan split,” Erwin said in an opinion piece in The Hill. Biden “should pull the Sohn nomination and put forward a better-qualified candidate that can earn bipartisan support.”