Legal Niches

Net Neutrality and the Revolving Door

By james_fudge

As the FCC opens the floor to public comment on its "third way" to Net Neutrality, telecoms are spending millions to influence lawmakers -- and hiring former lawmakers to do the dirty work. According to Politico, AT&T, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Verizon, NCTA and US Telecom spent $20.6 million lobbying various federal agencies and congressional committees in the first quarter of this year.

Meanwhile, the revolving door spins and spins as former politicians sign up to handle the telecoms' interests on Capitol Hill. Eighteen former lawmakers from the House Committee on Energy & Commerce, the House committee with telecommunications jurisdiction are working for various lobbyists groups. In 2010, lobbying organizations hired former Energy & Commerce Committee members Jim Davis (AT&T), Jack Fields (Verizon), Ron Klink (Comcast), Chip Pickering (Comcast and National Cable and Television Association) and Al Wynn (US Telecom Association). Read More

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Full post as published by GamePolitics.com on June 21, 2010 (boomark / email).