Cruz Calls for ICANN CEO Recusal From Decision-making Over Involvement in China-Led Forum
ICANN CEO Fadi Chehadé “should recuse himself from all ICANN decisions that could impact the Chinese government,” including all activity related to the planned Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) transition, GOP presidential hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said in a…
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statement Tuesday. Chehadé responded Friday to questions raised by Cruz and other senators about his decision to become co-chairman of a high-level advisory committee to the Chinese government-led World Internet Conference (WIC) following his mid-March retirement from ICANN, saying his future WIC role didn't violate ICANN's conflict of interest policy. ICANN stakeholders said they believed Cruz was unlikely to be satisfied with Chehadé's answers (see 1602220066). Cruz disputed Chehadé's response, noting a Dec. 17 report by the Chinese government's Xinhua News Agency that the WIC advisory committee held its first meeting “on the sidelines” of the 2015 WIC summit in Wuzhen, China. Either WIC and the Chinese government “have misreported the events that took place during their own conference or Fadi Chehade isn’t being completely honest” with the Senate, Cruz said in a statement. Chehadé had said the only compensation for his WIC role would be for any travel expenses he incurs related to WIC activities, which Cruz said “can be a form of personal conflict of interest.” That compensation “could impair Chehade’s ability to act impartially and in the best interest of the [U.S.] government when performing under” NTIA's current contract with ICANN to administer the IANA functions, Cruz said. Chehadé's involvement with WIC “is not helpful, obviously,” Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters off the Senate floor Wednesday. He said that Senate Commerce is “following that issue very carefully and we're waiting for [ICANN's IANA transition] proposal to come forward. We've been in touch with NTIA about it.” ICANN and NTIA didn't immediately comment.