Taxpayer Group Congratulates FCC Chair Pai on Successful Tenure

For Immediate Release
November 30, 2020
Contact: Patrick Hedger
(425-283-6512)

Washington, D.C. – The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA), a non-partisan taxpayer and consumer watchdog organization, congratulates Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai on an exemplary tenure at the agency following the announcement of his departure on January 20, 2021. TPA President David Williams offered the following comments:

“Over the last eight years, it’s difficult to think of a better friend to taxpayers and consumers in government than Chairman Ajit Pai. Serving as a commissioner and ultimately Chairman of the FCC, Pai has not only stood firm on core principles, but he advanced the ball in the face of massive pressure from all directions on many issues important to taxpayers and consumers. Despite personal attacks and physical threats against he and his family, and onslaughts from various powerful interests and poorly informed comedians, Chairman Pai was able to clear away dated and needless regulatory structures and resolve wireless spectrum issues impeding the deployment of critical broadband infrastructure, including new 5G networks.  Today, despite the most hyperbolic tech apocalypse predictions since the Y2K scare surrounding Pai’s rollback of onerous ‘net neutrality’ rules, more Americans have access to faster broadband than ever before.

“No one could have known that the COVID-19 pandemic was right around the corner, but the principles Pai advanced during his tenure left Americans better suited to adapt to a remote economy than most other nations in the developed world. When the pandemic began, Pai challenged internet service providers to rise to the occasion and continue to provide critical broadband service to consumers regardless of their ability to pay through the Keep Americans Connected pledge. Hundreds of companies followed his lead. No additional money was necessary and no new regulations were needed.

“Pai also helped set up a 9-8-8 suicide hotline to aid people in their most important time of need.  This will be a true and enduring piece of his legacy that nobody can minimize or politicize.

“We hope that he’ll find his way back into public service down the road. For now, Chairman Pai should kick his heels up and take a well-deserved sip from his gigantic Reese’s mug.”

To read more about Chairman Pai, be sure to check out TPA’s Profiles In Courage series and our entry on him, found here.

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