GOP says Obama aides meddled in ‘net neutrality’

  • By Anne Flaherty Associated Press
  • Tuesday, March 17, 2015 2:03pm
  • Business

WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans on Tuesday accused independent regulators of bowing to White House pressure on “net neutrality,” citing thousands of emails and other documents that show close coordination between the Federal Communications Commission and senior aides to President Barack Obama.

The political sparring on Capitol Hill was unlikely to affect a decision by the FCC to impose tough new regulations on cable and wireless providers that supply the nation’s Internet service. And while the emails don’t suggest any blatant impropriety, they raise questions about whether senior Obama aides went to unusual lengths to engage independent regulators on a popular issue, and if the FCC gave these aides too much access to internal deliberations while shutting out Congress.

“A president should be able to weigh in, make his opinions known. I don’t have a problem with that. But this seems to be very one-sided,” said Rep. Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Chaffetz said his office had been told that the FCC Inspector General’s office has opened an investigation into the agency’s deliberations process on its net neutrality decision. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said he was not aware of any investigation.

An openly defiant Wheeler said keeping the White House up to date on FCC dealings isn’t unusual and that he won’t apologize for what he considers a transparent deliberations process.

“There were no secret instructions from the White House,” Wheeler told the committee. “I did not, as CEO of an independent agency, feel obligated to follow the president’s recommendation.”

Much of the focus was on behind-the-scenes talks last year among lobbyists, agency staffers and White House aides as Wheeler struggled with how exactly to regulate Internet service. A court had knocked down the FCC’s previous legal approach, which had prohibited cable and wireless companies from blocking or slowing Internet traffic. The idea is known as net neutrality because it suggests Internet service providers shouldn’t discriminate against various web traffic.

On one hand were Internet activists who wanted regulators to treat the Internet much like the telephone, applying Title II of the 1934 Communications Act. This would require that companies act in the public’s best interest and not employ unfair business practices that might hurt consumers.

Industry officials warned this approach would be much too drastic and could freeze infrastructure investments.

Throughout the process, Wheeler gave the White House a front-row seat to the deliberations process, according to the emails. In one April 2014 email exchange, Wheeler loops in John Podesta, a close aide to Obama, denouncing a story by The New York Times that suggested the FCC would be too soft on net neutrality.

“Brutal story. Somebody going on the record to push back?” Podesta asks Wheeler in an email.

Wheeler responds: “Yes. I did with a statement similar to what I emailed you.”

Contact between the FCC and the White House escalated in the fall. On Nov. 6, Obama’s top assistant on economic policy — Jeffrey Zients — took the unusual step of meeting with Wheeler on the chairman’s turf at FCC headquarters. Zients told Wheeler that the president planned to call out the FCC to impose Title II rules.

The meeting raised some eyebrows. An AT&T lobbyist’s email to a top Wheeler aide suggested it was “bad for any semblance of agency independence.” The FCC aide, Philip Verveer, circulated the commentary among his colleagues with the note “FYI.”

Four days later, Obama released his YouTube video announcing his support for Title II. That same morning, a group of civilian protesters were outside Wheeler’s house blocking his car. Wheeler notes the timing cynically in an email that day to top aides.

“FYI. Isn’t it interesting,” Wheeler wrote. “The day of the (net neutrality) demonstration just happens to be the day folks take action at my house” and after the White House sends an email to its supporter list calling on “anyone who cares about saving the Internet.”

“Hmmm…” he concludes, signing his email “T.”

While Wheeler was exchanging emails and meeting with Obama’s aides, he declined to testify before Congress or pass along documents until after his decision was made.

“I think Mr. Zients on Nov. 6th, strong-armed you,” Rep. John Mica, R-Fla.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

Black Press Media operates Sound Publishing, the largest community news organization in Washington State with dailies and community news outlets in Alaska.
Black Press Media concludes transition of ownership

Black Press Media, which operates Sound Publishing, completed its sale Monday (March 25), following the formerly announced corporate restructuring.

Maygen Hetherington, executive director of the Historic Downtown Snohomish Association, laughs during an interview in her office on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Snohomish, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Maygen Hetherington: tireless advocate for the city of Snohomish

Historic Downtown Snohomish Association receives the Opportunity Lives Here award from Economic Alliance.

FILE - Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs poses in front of photos of the 15 people who previously held the office on Nov. 22, 2021, after he was sworn in at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Hobbs faces several challengers as he runs for election to the office he was appointed to last fall. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs: ‘I wanted to serve my country’

Hobbs, a former Lake Stevens senator, is the recipient of the Henry M. Jackson Award from Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

Mark Duffy poses for a photo in his office at the Mountain Pacific Bank headquarters on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Mark Duffy: Building a hometown bank; giving kids an opportunity

Mountain Pacific Bank’s founder is the recipient of the Fluke Award from Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

Barb Tolbert poses for a photo at Silver Scoop Ice Cream on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Barb Tolbert: Former mayor piloted Arlington out of economic brink

Tolbert won the Elson S. Floyd Award, honoring a leader who has “created lasting opportunities” for the underserved.

Photo provided by 
Economic Alliance
Economic Alliance presented one of the Washington Rising Stem Awards to Katie Larios, a senior at Mountlake Terrace High School.
Mountlake Terrace High School senior wins state STEM award

Katie Larios was honored at an Economic Alliance gathering: “A champion for other young women of color in STEM.”

The Westwood Rainier is one of the seven ships in the Westwood line. The ships serve ports in the Pacific Northwest and Northeast Asia. (Photo provided by Swire Shipping)
Westwood Shipping Lines, an Everett mainstay, has new name

The four green-hulled Westwood vessels will keep their names, but the ships will display the Swire Shipping flag.

A Keyport ship docked at Lake Union in Seattle in June 2018. The ship spends most of the year in Alaska harvesting Golden King crab in the Bering Sea. During the summer it ties up for maintenance and repairs at Lake Union. (Keyport LLC)
In crabbers’ turbulent moment, Edmonds seafood processor ‘saved our season’

When a processing plant in Alaska closed, Edmonds-based business Keyport stepped up to solve a “no-win situation.”

Angela Harris, Executive Director of the Port of Edmonds, stands at the port’s marina on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, in Edmonds, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Leadership, love for the Port of Edmonds got exec the job

Shoring up an aging seawall is the first order of business for Angela Harris, the first woman to lead the Edmonds port.

The Cascade Warbirds fly over Naval Station Everett. (Sue Misao / The Herald file)
Bothell High School senior awarded $2,500 to keep on flying

Cascade Warbirds scholarship helps students 16-21 continue flight training and earn a private pilot’s certificate.

Rachel Gardner, the owner of Musicology Co., a new music boutique record store on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024 in Edmonds, Washington. Musicology Co. will open in February, selling used and new vinyl, CDs and other music-related merchandise. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Edmonds record shop intends to be a ‘destination for every musician’

Rachel Gardner opened Musicology Co. this month, filling a record store gap in Edmonds.

MyMyToyStore.com owner Tom Harrison at his brick and mortar storefront on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Burst pipe permanently closes downtown Everett toy store

After a pipe flooded the store, MyMyToystore in downtown Everett closed. Owner Tom Harrison is already on to his next venture.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.