FCC Staff Under Pai Are More Transparent Than Under 'Brutus Buckeye,' O'Rielly Says
FCC staff are required under Chairman Ajit Pai to share information with all commissioners, not just the chairman, Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said in a blog post Wednesday. That’s in contrast to under Chairman Tom Wheeler, said O’Rielly, who also appeared…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
to refer to Wheeler as “Brutus Buckeye,” the Ohio State University mascot. Wheeler is an alumnus of Ohio State and a vocal fan of its athletic teams. “In too many conversations, some of the most knowledgeable people in the building seemed to be under direction not to share certain information or answer certain questions,” O’Rielly said. “Sometimes I would get a wry smile, other times it was a blank stare, and occasionally there was a more honest response that the information wouldn’t be forthcoming. Frustrating indeed.” One of Pai’s “most welcomed” process reforms has been a directive that “all staff will not withhold information requested by Commissioners or fail to share information that is pertinent to the many matters before us,” O’Rielly said. The previous commission's priorities shouldn’t be the priorities of this one, he said, describing the policy as “deleting Brutus Buckeye from our memory banks.” O’Rielly’s office didn’t comment on whether the mascot’s name was a reference to Wheeler, and Wheeler declined to comment on the blog post.