FCC Blocks Law Enforcement Inquiry Into Fake Neutrality Comments The FCC is refusing to aid a law enforcement investigation into who submitted millions of fake comments in support of the FCC's planned rollback of net neutrality rules. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has been conducting an investigation into the millions of fake comments (some belonging to dead people) submitted in support of the FCC's attack on net neutrality. In an open letter several weeks ago, Schneiderman's office said that despite 9 inquiries made during a six month period, the FCC refused to aid his office's inquiry in any capacity.

On Monday of this week, Schneiderman's office issued a statement indicating that the FCC Inspector General's office might cooperate in the wake of public pressure. But on Thursday FCC general counsel Thomas Johnson sent a letter to Schneiderman refusing to hand over any data, server logs or API details that could help the investigation shine a light on the identity of the culprit(s). Johnson stated that "while your letter suggests that the public comment process was somehow 'corrupted' by the alleged submission of comments under false names, you offer no evidence that this activity affected the Commission’s ability to review and respond to comments in the record." Critics have charged that the FCC failed to investigate or hinder bogus comments because the fraud undermined trust in the validity of the comment process, helping to downplay and discredit the massive genuine opposition to the FCC's plan. If the fake comments were the work of an ISP-tied think tank or policy organization (such activity is certainly historically within their wheelhouse), the industry-cozy FCC also likely has a vested interest in not aiding anybody trying to document such a connection. The FCC similarly refused to do anything when I filed a formal complaint about the fact that someone used my name and the name of DSLReports.com to support killing the popular rules. Needless to say, Schneiderman's office isn't particularly impressed. "Today the FCC make[s] clear that it will continue to obstruct a law enforcement investigation," said Amy Spitalnick, a spokeswoman for Schneiderman’s office. "It’s easy for the FCC to claim that there’s no problem with the process, when they’re hiding the very information that would allow us to determine if there was a problem." FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel similarly blasted the FCC's refusal to cooperate. "This letter shows the FCC’s sheer contempt for public input and unreasonable failure to support integrity in its process," said Rosenworcel. "To put it simply, there is evidence in the FCC’s files that fraud has occurred and the FCC is telling law enforcement and victims of identity theft that it is not going to help. Moreover, the FCC refuses to look into how nearly half a million comments came from Russian sources. Failure to investigate this corrupted record undermines our process for seeking public input in the digital age." Expect the comment fraud, and the FCC's refusal to aid investigations into it, to play a starring role in the inevitable lawsuits coming in the new year. Expect the comment fraud, and the FCC's refusal to aid investigations into it, to play a starring role in the inevitable lawsuits coming in the new year.







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Most recommended from 103 comments

etaadmin

join:2002-01-17

united state 47 recommendations etaadmin Member Any anonymous members here? This is a job for anonymous to find out who, what and where did these fake posts came from, not that we already know but someone has to rub the FCC and in particular Ajit Pai's face in the ground.



The FCC's blatant disregard for the law is astonishing.

C0deZer0

Oc'D To Rhythm And Police

Premium Member

join:2001-10-03

Tempe, AZ 21 recommendations C0deZer0 Premium Member The line to punch Ajit Pai's teeth in... Begins after me. Chuck_IV

join:2003-11-18

Connecticut 20 recommendations Chuck_IV Member At this point, does it really? Pai will stop at NOTHING to please his corporate masters and is going to vote to dismantle the rules, no matter what anybody does, short of holding a gun to his head(I'm not even sure that would work).



The courts are the only hope, but I'm not optimistic that the courts will end up doing much either. I think in the end, we will just need the weather the storm for a few years, til we can get someone else in there that isn't a corporate puppet.

tshirt

Premium Member

join:2004-07-11

Snohomish, WA 17 recommendations tshirt Premium Member FCC failed.... "FCC failed to investigate or hinder bogus comments because the fraud undermined trust in the validity of the comment process....



Of course it would have hindered their ability to CONSIDER the public comments (A requirement of the rule making process)

If they decided to ignore the public comment, or to accept obviously false testimony/comments as such, it is a clear violation of the letter and spirit of the open government regulations.

The chairman allowing this to happen should be impeached and replaced for this failure, and would be in a more stable political situation.



Welcome to bizarro world where nothing really matters at all.

former qwest

Premium Member

join:2014-01-04

out there 16 recommendations former qwest Premium Member the Brownshirts are coming sorry if younger folks don't know what they were.

BellaStorm

Premium Member

join:2014-04-07

Leesburg, FL 14 recommendations BellaStorm Premium Member My 2 cents IMO it just means they are hiding something and don’t want it to be found out.

TIGERON

join:2008-03-11

Boston, MA 13 recommendations TIGERON Member Sue the shit outta Pai in court And force him to either put up or shut up. Either way asshole you just insured yourself a mountain-size headache opposition.



Go FUCK yourself. xpxp2002

join:2014-08-29

NEO 12 recommendations xpxp2002 Member There's gotta be a way Can't the AG file for a subpoena to force them to hand it over, or if he chooses to ignore it have the Commissioner arrested for contempt?

chip89

Premium Member

join:2012-07-05

Columbia Station, OH 9 recommendations chip89 Premium Member This is This is clear cut obstruction of Justice by the FCC throw them all in Jail!