Rep. Kucinich (D-O.), a presidential candidate and chmn. of the H...
Rep. Kucinich (D-O.), a presidential candidate and chmn. of the House Domestic Policy Subcommittee, told a N.H. crowd his committee plans hearings on Verizon’s proposed $2.7 billion sale of its northern New England landline assets to FairPoint Communications, and…
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said he thinks the deal should be blocked. Kucinich said he will ask the FCC and SEC to decide if the transaction is in the public interest. He told a Portsmouth, N.H., rally that “Verizon doesn’t want to serve rural communities and, based on its finances, FairPoint can’t. This deal doesn’t pass the smell test.” He said he doubts that FairPoint can keep promises of improved rural service. The rally was staged Sat. by the IBEW and CWA, which oppose the deal as bad for labor. Kucinich said transactions like this usually mean less service, fewer jobs and higher rates. He said Verizon would retain a majority interest in the spun-off operation. The transaction raises state and federal legal and regulatory questions, he said, “and all these issues will be explored.”