Press Release
FCC Ignores Ethics to Speed AT&T Merger
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON -- Today, at the request of Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin, the FCC general counsel cleared Commissioner Robert McDowell to vote on the proposed merger of AT&T and BellSouth. McDowell earlier had recused himself due to conflicts of interest with lobbying work he did before joining the FCC.
Free Press Executive Director Josh Silver made the following statement:
"Pressing Commissioner McDowell to violate his ethical standards and cast the deciding vote on this mega-merger is a flagrant affront to the public's demand for ethical and impartial policymaking.
"The case the FCC makes for this excessive move is thin and unpersuasive. The director of the executive branch's Office of Government Ethics indicated he would not authorize Commissioner McDowell's vote. The newest commissioner may still abstain, but clearly the pressure is on for him to vote.
"The proposed merger of AT&T and BellSouth would constitute the largest merger in the history of U.S. telecommunications and effectively resurrect Ma Bell. This new behemoth would dominate the broadband market and wield immense power over what we see and do online. The public interest demands a reasonable compromise to protect consumers, not an FCC with compromised ethics bending over backward to serve the interests of large corporations.
"With nothing less than the future of the Internet at stake, the FCC has a responsibility to protect consumers and serve the public interest by placing conditions on this deal. Chairman Martin's strong-arm tactics represent a new low for the FCC."
For more information, please visit www.freepress.net/att
Free Press Executive Director Josh Silver made the following statement:
"Pressing Commissioner McDowell to violate his ethical standards and cast the deciding vote on this mega-merger is a flagrant affront to the public's demand for ethical and impartial policymaking.
"The case the FCC makes for this excessive move is thin and unpersuasive. The director of the executive branch's Office of Government Ethics indicated he would not authorize Commissioner McDowell's vote. The newest commissioner may still abstain, but clearly the pressure is on for him to vote.
"The proposed merger of AT&T and BellSouth would constitute the largest merger in the history of U.S. telecommunications and effectively resurrect Ma Bell. This new behemoth would dominate the broadband market and wield immense power over what we see and do online. The public interest demands a reasonable compromise to protect consumers, not an FCC with compromised ethics bending over backward to serve the interests of large corporations.
"With nothing less than the future of the Internet at stake, the FCC has a responsibility to protect consumers and serve the public interest by placing conditions on this deal. Chairman Martin's strong-arm tactics represent a new low for the FCC."
For more information, please visit www.freepress.net/att
