Demand Progress Seeks Donations to 'Fire' FCC's Pai

Demand Progress is using the expected Senate confirmation vote on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai this week or early next to raise money for an effort to block it.

In an email to supporters Wednesday (Sept. 27), the group, which opposes Pai's renomination in part because of his plan to roll back Title II, cited that rollback and said they needed a grass roots "backlash" to block him.

Related: Cantwell Speaks Out Against Pai Renomination

The chairman can serve until the end of this year, but would have to exit then without renomination.

"Will you chip in $5 to help our all-out effort to kick Ajit Pai out of the FCC?," Demand Progress asks, clearly mincing no words.

The email was sent the same day Demand Progress participated in a Day of Advocacy, where activists met with legislators to seek their help in preserving Title II.

In a separate email asking supporters to tell the Senate to "fire" Pai, the group says a vote for the chairman is a vote to:

"End the internet as we know it, and let Big Cable be the gatekeepers of what you can and can’t do online.

"Let notorious right-wing media empire Sinclair (known for its racist and highly biased 'must-run' broadcasts) get market share reaching over 70% of American households.

"Shut off phone and internet service for the working poor and low-income people."

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.