Pai, O'Rielly Say Wheeler Unwilling to Negotiate on Some Major Orders
FCC Republicans Ajit Pai and Mike O'Rielly sharply criticized Chairman Tom Wheeler Friday for refusing to negotiate on key orders like the order on E-rate reform. (See separate report above in this issue.) But Wheeler said the vast majority of items are still decided unanimously. FCC officials said the two Republicans believe they've been ignored on some big-ticket orders, including rules for the TV incentive auction.
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O'Rielly said during the meeting that his proposed edits on the E-rate order were ignored and questioned whether decisions on funding had been delayed to get the commission “past the November elections” before making hard decisions that could mean higher charges on phone bills.
"This is the first time I've spoken publicly about process,” O'Rielly told us. He wanted to let past incidents “be in the past,” he said. “This time, I just thought it was necessary to be outspoken on just exactly what happened.” O'Rielly said he has been “willing to go above and beyond” in negotiating on orders, but has gotten “no consideration at all” for his proposed edits. “It’s just very disheartening,” he said.
"It is unfortunate that take-it-or-leave-it, party line votes have become the new normal for high-profile commission items,” Pai said.
"What happens in negotiations is a back and forth” between the offices, Wheeler said during the news conference after the meeting. “There’s a difference between negotiating and changing principles and we stuck with our principles.”
Wheeler cited numbers reported by Communications Daily that the FCC had logged votes on 16 agenda items under his chairmanship, and six divided the commission along party lines (CD July 10 p1). That means 10 were 5-0, and two of three votes Thursday were unanimous. “Out of the 19 votes that we have taken, a dozen have been 5-0, unanimous,” he said. “We are a commission of strong individuals with firmly held beliefs working for a common purpose."
House Republicans lambasted the process surrounding the vote. “Deliberations at the FCC need to include all commissioners. Period,” said Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden of Oregon, saying when drafts are not circulated to all commissioners until shortly before a vote, “there has been a colossal breakdown of process, collegiality, and trust that should characterize the work of the commission.” Subcommittee Vice Chairman Bob Latta of Ohio slammed Wheeler’s “my way or the highway approach” that yielded “a partisan outcome that will ultimately place new costs on American consumers.” ,