Pai Affirms to Senators He Doesn't See Media as Enemy of American People
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai offered a one-word answer -- “No” -- to the question from Senate Commerce Committee Democrats on whether he sees media as the enemy of the American people. Democratic senators had pressed Pai during an oversight hearing…
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on whether he agreed with President Donald Trump’s rhetoric accusing certain news outlets as an “enemy of the American people,” questions they said he fell short in answering and pursued in writing later (see 1703150063). “I should note that at the hearing, I was asked if I agreed with the President that the media was the ‘enemy’ of the people,” Pai said in his reply, sent Friday. “However, the President has made clear that he was referring to ‘fake news.’ As I stated at the hearing, these comments are part of a larger political debate into which I will not be wading.” Trump has repeatedly slammed mainstream news outlets as "fake," including in a tweet Monday lambasting “Fake News CNN.” Last week, he tweeted “fake news” in response to reports on a released excerpt of his tax documents, which administration officials themselves confirmed as genuine. “I welcome the opportunity to reiterate my strong support for the First Amendment rights of the media and all Americans,” Pai told Senate Democrats. “During my time at the Commission I have consistently opposed any effort to infringe upon the freedom of the press and have fought to eliminate regulations that impede the gathering and dissemination of news.” Pai committed to exercise his media regulation authority in an impartial manner and in a way that doesn't violate the First Amendment, with independence from the executive branch. Pai didn't commit to the administration to take action against any industry outlets, he said. He said he would inform Congress and the public if the executive branch tries to sway his choices. A House Democrat introduced legislation on these issues last week (see 1703170064). "The question was whether Chairman Pai believes the media is the enemy of the people; it shouldn't take two attempts to get a less than full-throated defense of freedom of speech from an FCC commissioner who has called himself a defender of the 1st amendment," Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., told us in a statement Monday. He was the senator who first pressed Pai on the topic.