Slashdot Mirror


The FCC Is Refusing To Release Emails About Ajit Pai's 'Harlem Shake' Video (vice.com)

bumblebaetuna writes from a report via Motherboard: On the eve of the net neutrality repeal, just as tensions and public debate over the issue were reaching a fever pitch, someone in the FCC decided it would be a good idea to have chair Ajit Pai ridicule legitimate concerns of internet users with a video featuring an outdated meme and a pizzagate conspiracy theorist. Now, citing the infamous b5 FOIA exemption, the Federal Communications Commission is refusing to release emails related to the planning of the video. The b5 exemption is supposed to protect "inter-agency or intra-agency memorandum or letters which would be privileged in civil litigation," but each agency interprets that meaning differently.

6 of 84 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Given the sheer number of people sueing him by greenwow · · Score: 3, Informative

    > kick the bum out that appoints him.

    Obama appointed him to the FCC, so that "bum" has already been kicked out.

  2. Re:Given the sheer number of people sueing him by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Obama appointed him to the FCC for a 5 year term. Trump appointed him to be CHAIRMAN of the FCC in Jan 2017 when he took office, and then nominated him for another 5 year term. Since net neutrality was only appealed AFTER he became CHAIRMAN, and that was the result of Trump, I don't think it's fair to blame Obama.

  3. Dickery by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    " since the issue is government waste"

    You might want to limit the scope to that, but it was Ajit being a dick at a time when his job requires he be professional and consider the feedback.

    Running a consultancy, as required by law, when you've already made your mind up, is bad governance. Accepting millions of duplicate comments from fake ids, is bad governnance. Saying industry talking points that are flat out untrue is bad governnance.

    So now the telcos are free to screw over their customers again, and he is to blame.

  4. Re:I wish Obama hadn't approved him by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    That Obama appointed him is irrelevant. Obama was required to appoint a (at the time) minority (republican) candidate, and that was who the GOP chose. It could have been any conservative really... Ajit or anyone else. When Republicans took power and elevated their puppet to Chairman, that's when shit started to hit the fan.

  5. Re:I wish Obama hadn't approved him by kenh · · Score: 2, Informative

    Obama made him part of the commission but it took a Trump to make him chairman.

    Don't be so modest, without Hillary as his opponent, we wouldn't have gotten Trump as President.

    --
    Ken
  6. Re:Pizza-gate conspiracy theorist - Where?? by Samurai+Nigel · · Score: 3, Informative

    Daily Caller video producer Martina Markota is one of the people dancing with him in the video. The same Martina Markota who's one of the big proponents of the Pizzagate conspiracy theory.

    Facism, by the way, is apparently a word you don't understand.