Comcast is going all out to tank Biden’s FCC nominee

 

When Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump, it should have only been a matter of time before the policies of Trump FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai were thrown out and net neutrality once again became the law of the land.

But there's one big problem: until Biden's nominations for the FCC are confirmed by the Senate, the votes won't be there to restore net neutrality.

That's why Comcast and their Big Cable allies are using every dirty trick in the book to stop the Senate confirmation of Gigi Sohn, President Biden's nominee for the fifth and tiebreaking seat on the FCC.

Alarmingly, the fake grassroots groups, nasty smear campaigns, and mountains of cash are having an impact on the Senate.¹ It's been nearly eight months since President Biden first nominated Sohn, and the crucial fifth seat on the FCC remains empty.

We're fighting back to make sure Gigi Sohn is confirmed and to restore net neutrality, but we need your help to ensure that we have the resources to win. Will you chip in?

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Without a tiebreaking fifth member, the FCC is in a 2-2 stalemate on a range of issues, from restoring net neutrality to the expansion of broadband access. The deadlock leaves in place the anti-net neutrality policies of Ajit Pai, the former Verizon lawyer who ran the FCC for Donald Trump.

And that's just the way Comcast wants it.

So Big Cable and the right-wing news media are throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Sohn to try to sink her nomination.

Fox News and the The Wall Street Journal editorial board have repeatedly distorted and attacked her record.² Fake grassroots groups are pouring money into false ads, misleading viewers about her record on broadband and diversity.³

The problem is that these despicable smear tactics are having an impact on senators. The Senate failed to vote on Sohn's nomination last fall, and it's been nearly six months since Biden put her name forward again this year. There's no timetable for a vote in the full Senate, and several Democrats have yet to commit to supporting her. We can't sit back and let this happen.

Demand Progress is defending Gigi Sohn against a vicious smear campaign by Big Cable to sink her nomination to the FCC. Will you chip in to help get her confirmed and to restore net neutrality?

Thanks for standing with us,

Robert and the team at Demand Progress

PS: Your contributions keep us nimble and prepared to take on important fights like these as they happen. Will you become a monthly donor to keep our work going?

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Sources:

1. MarketWatch, "Broadband companies are spending an ‘unseemly amount of money’ to sink key nominee to FCC, critics allege," April 26, 2022.

2. Fast Company, "When will Democrats deliver on their promise to restore net neutrality?" May 16, 2022.

3. Common Dreams, "'Infuriating': Telecom Lobbyists Spending Big Money to Keep Gigi Sohn Off FCC," April 28, 2022.

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