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Hi,
Comcast, Fox News, and an army of Big Cable lobbyists threw everything but the kitchen sink at Gigi Sohn to tank her nomination to the Federal Communications Commission — and it worked.
After 16 bruising months of vicious personal attacks and lies bankrolled by these massive corporations and their cronies, Sohn withdrew her nomination.1
With Sohn now out of consideration, we’re calling on the White House to quickly move forward a nominee who will be a champion on net neutrality and privacy — and avoid delivering big telecommunications companies a victory in the form of an industry-friendly pick. The American people cannot afford to have this stalemate at the FCC any longer.
We’ve already mobilized hundreds of thousands of people to contact the White House and U.S. Senate. But in this dangerous moment for the future of the free and open internet, we need to make our voices heard, louder than ever before.
As long as the fifth commissioner seat remains unfilled, the FCC will stay deadlocked 2-2 on net neutrality and a range of other key issues, effectively freezing in place some of the worst policies of Donald Trump’s FCC chair, Ajit Pai, more than two years after Trump and Pai left office.
That’s why Fox News and The Wall Street Journal editorial board repeatedly distorted and attacked Sohn’s record.2 Fake grassroots groups poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into false ads claiming she doesn’t support rural broadband access or diversity.3
The smear tactics succeeded. Key Democrats like Sen. Joe Manchin abandoned Sohn and sided with the cable companies.4
Let’s be clear: Gigi Sohn was a supremely qualified nominee, and she was attacked because she would have supported net neutrality and defended the interests of everyday Americans over Big Cable.
It’s on us to mobilize enough grassroots support to make sure the next appointee to the FCC is just as strong on net neutrality — and isn’t left twisting in the wind. That starts with making sure we have a nominee worth fighting for.5
With gratitude for all that you do,
Tihi and the team at Demand Progress Action
Sources:
1. The Washington Post, "Biden FCC nominee withdraws after a bruising lobbying battle," March 7, 2023.
2. Fast Company, "When will Democrats deliver on their promise to restore net neutrality?," May 16, 2022.
3. Common Dreams, "'Infuriating': Telecom Lobbyists Spending Big Money to Keep Gigi Sohn Off FCC," April 28, 2022.
4. The Washington Post, "Biden FCC nominee withdraws after a bruising lobbying battle," March 7, 2023.
5. Common Dreams, "60+ Groups Push Biden to Pick Strong Public Interest Nominee for FCC," March 17, 2023.
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