Public anger is building over news that
FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker is leaving the FCC to become a lobbyist
for Comcast – just four months after she voted to approve the Comcast-NBC merger. It's no
wonder the American people are disgusted by Washington.
Rep. Darrell Issa, chair
of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has raised concerns about
alleged ethical
violations at the FCC. He must immediately launch an investigation
into Baker's seemingly clear conflict of interest. If we don't act now, business as
usual in Washington will continue to undermine our media system and endanger
our democracy.
Help us close the revolving
door. Demand that Congress investigate Baker’s conflict of interest.
Chairman Issa,
(CC Ranking Member Cummings):
Federal Communications Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker
just announced that she is cutting short her FCC term to lobby for
Comcast-NBCU, a company whose multi-billion dollar merger she approved just four months
ago. This is a clear conflict of interest and an outrageous breach of the
public trust.
Even the appearance
of corruption erodes the American people’s confidence in the government, and Commissioner
Baker’s
departure for Comcast highlights the problem of the revolving door between
government and industry in Washington.
As chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform
Committee, you pledged to investigate outside influence that would constitute a
“serious breach of the independent proceedings of the FCC.” I urge you to
promptly investigate Commissioner Baker's seemingly blatant conflict of
interest.
