Trump taps net neutrality critic to lead the FCC
Source: Washington Post
Trump taps net neutrality critic to lead the FCC
By Brian Fung January 23 at 6:52 PM
President Trump has named Ajit Pai, an advocate of deregulation and a critic of the government's net neutrality rules, as the next chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.
Pai's new position will give him control over the nation's most powerful telecom and cable regulator, with a 2-to-1 Republican majority that is widely expected to begin undoing some of former president Barack Obama's most significant tech policies.
The Indian American who grew up in Kansas had until now been a sitting Republican commissioner at the FCC meaning he will not need to be confirmed by the Senate before serving as the agency's 34th chairman. Pai was a staunch critic of Democratic efforts aimed at breaking the dominance of some of America's biggest Internet providers, including AT&T, Comcast and Verizon.
I look forward to working with the new Administration, my colleagues at the Commission, members of Congress and the American public to bring the benefits of the digital age to all Americans, Pai said in a statement Monday.
Although consistent with Trump's largely deregulatory agenda, Pai's appointment breaks from the president's habit of appointing Washington outsiders to key roles. ...
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/01/23/meet-donald-trumps-official-new-fcc-chairman-ajit-pai/?utm_term=.e0c75d2857be