House Democrats Push FCC to Compel Political Advertises to Name Major Donors

House Democrats aren't backing down in their push to get the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to compel political advertisers to name the major donors behind their spots.

One hundred-and-sixty-eight House Democrats, almost the entire Caucus, are signed onto a letter led by House Energy and Commerce Committee ranking member Anna Eshoo (Calif.) and Rep. John Yarmuth (Ky.) urging FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to compel broadcasters to make advertisers identify the donors behind political ads.

They argue that the FCC has the authority to do so as a result of rules requiring disclosure of the identity of ad sponsors. But the FCC currently only requires them to identify the person with "editorial control" over the ad, which allows the disclosure to include the group behind the ad, which may not have to identify its donors.

"In the new era of non-disclosing political organizations with intentionally opaque names, this interpretation is woefully out of date," the lawmakers said. "While a non-disclosing organization may in fact have had editorial control over the advertisement, the true sponsors of the advertisement are those who contributed the money to pay for it."

CLICK HERE to read the 11 page (PDF) letter from Congress to the FEC.











NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

FEC to Set Net Neutrality Rules

This week, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler, will circulate to the members of the FCC proposed new rules to preserve the internet as an open platform for innovation and free expression.  This proposal is rooted in long-standing regulatory principles, marketplace experience, and public input received over the last several months.

Congress wisely gave the FCC the power to update its rules to keep pace with innovation.  Under that authority the proposal includes a general conduct rule that can be used to stop new and novel threats to the internet.  This means the action the FEC takes will be strong enough and flexible enough not only to deal with the realities of today, but also to establish ground rules for the as yet unimagined.

The internet must be fast, fair and open.  That is the message the FEC heard from consumers and innovators across this nation.  That is the principle that has enabled the internet to become an unprecedented platform for innovation and human expression.

The proposal from Wheeler to the commission will ensure the internet remains open, now and in the future, for all Americans.











NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker Technorati Tag in Del.icio.us