House Dems Want the US FTC, FCC To Pause Work In Light Of Election Results

Senior Democratic US lawmakers on Tuesday, November 10, demanded Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai and Federal Trade Commission Chairman (FTC) Joseph Simons halt work on all partisan or controversial items in light of last week’s presidential election results, reported Reuters.

“We strongly urge the agency to only pursue consensus and administrative matters that are non-partisan for the remainder of your tenure,” House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone wrote in letters to the two agencies joined by the subcommittee chairs overseeing the agencies, Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Mike Doyle.

The FTC held a meeting last month to discuss a pending antitrust investigation into Facebook, but the Commission has not decided yet whether to file a complaint, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters at the time. It is not clear what impact the letter may have on the probe.

Pai said last month that he would move forward to set new rules to clarify the meaning of a key legal protection for social media companies after a demand by President Donald Trump and over the strong objections of Democrats on the panel.

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