
FCC Chair Ajit Pai “jokes” about being a Verizon shill - warent
https://gizmodo.com/leaked-video-shows-fcc-chair-ajit-pai-roasting-himself-1821134881
======
AdmiralAsshat
Ajit Pai being an ass is not news.

The more interesting item is the FCC's implicit assertion that submitting
comments under fake names is not against the law.[0] That's the part that
should have people overturning tables.

 _The FCC also said that Schneiderman has not "identified any specific law or
legal authority" to support its assertion that submitting comments under fake
names violates state law._

[0][https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/12/fcc-chair-
still-...](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/12/fcc-chair-still-
refuses-to-help-investigate-net-neutrality-comment-fraud/)

~~~
strictnein
So what is the "specific law or legal authority" that makes it illegal?

~~~
pdonis
So if it's not against the letter of the law, that makes it ok?

~~~
blfr
I would say that submitting a public comment under a pseudonym is OK even if
it was against the law.

~~~
vec
Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but that's not actually the issue in question.
The comments to the FCC board were made using (publicly available) real name
and address pairs.

Someone submitted a comment using my legal name and current address. Whether
that person should have been able to comment pseudonymously or not is beside
the point. What they actually did is make a public statement in my name, which
may or may not reflect my actual views, and which definitely impedes my
ability to express those actual views if and when I desire to.

------
rory096
This will probably get me some hate, but that speech was genuinely funny.
Anyone who can't put aside their political differences and laugh along with it
is a wet blanket.

 _And_ it points out how ridiculous the Verizon shill claim is — Pai worked
there from 2001-03 when he was 3 years out of law school, then worked for DoJ
and various congressional committees, _then_ went to the FCC in 2007. Claims
that he's beholden to Verizon are exactly as absurd as that Manchurian
Candidate sketch.

~~~
thg
> Claims that he's beholden to Verizon are exactly as absurd as that
> Manchurian Candidate sketch.

[https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20171205/10255738745/days-...](https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20171205/10255738745/days-
before-doing-verizons-bidding-ajit-pai-gives-talk-verizon.shtml)

He sure isn't making a very good job at not looking corrupt beyond any doubt.

~~~
rory096
Color me unimpressed. Tom Wheeler spoke at the 2016 event and their 2015
annual convention.

[0] [https://www.iicom.org/events/telecommunications-and-media-
fo...](https://www.iicom.org/events/telecommunications-and-media-
forum/item/tmf-washington-2016)

[1] [http://www.iicom.org/events/item/annual-
conference-2015-conf...](http://www.iicom.org/events/item/annual-
conference-2015-confirmed-speakers)

~~~
bduerst
Tom Wheeler didn't promote the removal of net neutrality protections, an act
which would benefit Verizon. This "it's just a joke" is about as funny as if
Tom Wheeler had said the _same thing_ Pai did while taking the _same stance_.

That's because it's indefensible, which is why you're pointing fingers to
Wheeler instead of defending it.

~~~
rory096
It's almost like speaking at an International Institute of Communications
forum is not correlated with shilling.

------
Fede_V
Pai's speech was funny, but his behaviour as chairman is completely
indefensible, especially with all the evidence that the comment submission
process was fraught with irregularities.

To put it more concretely: if you think he has no ulterior motive in acting
the way he is acting, what betting odds would you give against him being given
a very lucratively paid sinecure as vp in some sort of telecom as soon as he
is legally allowed?

------
thomastjeffery
Whether or no Pai has a confict of interest is not very relevant.

Whether Pai's conclusions are based in personal opinion, or not is irrelevant.

The problem is that Pai is ignoring those whom it is duty to serve, and
abusing the authority of his chairmanship to dictate policy for an entire
country without any meaningful discussion.

------
tomcam
It always helps to remember that our political opposites may also possess a
sense of humor

------
RickJWag
I saw the quotes around "jokes" and didn't read the article.

Bias is obvious, it's not going to be informative reading.

------
QAPereo
A line from THGTTG springs to mind...

 _...A bunch of mindless jerks who 'll be the first against the wall when the
revolution comes..._

~~~
r00fus
First against the wall? More likely they'll be sipping margaritas in the
Caymans, Vanuatu, or wherever they can go to avoid extradition.

Former mass murdering dictators freely roam international waters, what's a bit
of crony capitalism.

~~~
QAPereo
I’m guessing you’re not familiar with the referenced _work of satirical
fiction._

------
CodeWriter23
IMO proving the guy has some form of Antisocial Personality Disorder.

------
madcoder253
FYI Those were not fake names, they were stolen identifies, including correct
addresses and phone numbers. I know that because my mom who passed away 2
years ago was on the comments list posted in August of this year against net
neutrality.

Regarding duplicates entries, that is explained by multiple sites making it
easy to post for net neutrality, using the same language for each person who
posted.

