Comcast will pay $110,000 to sponsor a major dinner honoring FCC commissioner Mignon Clyburn at the same time the regulator is considering whether to approve the cable company's application to acquire Time Warner Cable.
In a barely noticed Senate lobbying disclosure released last month, Time Warner Cable admitted it was also spending $22,000 of its subscribers' money on the same meal.
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El Reg reports:
While the event had been touted as a celebration of Clyburn's career and efforts to improve diversity in the industry, its timing and circumstances also brought about talk of a potential conflict of interest.
Comcast and Time Warner are in the midst of trying to win approval for a proposed merger valued at roughly $45bn.
With Clyburn among the commissioners set to decide whether the deal wins FCC approval, members of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) noted that the companies spending tens of thousands of dollars on an event honoring Clyburn might be a bit of a conflict of interest.
Related:
Comcast Sponsors Honors Dinner for Commissioner During Merger Review
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Subsentient on Wednesday August 13 2014, @07:52AM
Can somebody do something to punish Comcast for this? Oh wait, 'Merica. Never mind.
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." -Jiddu Krishnamurti
(Score: 4, Interesting) by nyder on Wednesday August 13 2014, @07:56AM
Funny how if a person did this it would be considered a bride and illegal, but when a corporation does it, it's okay.
Maybe we should bring back tar & feathering. Mob justice. No, wait, Pawn Stars is on, I'll have to join the revolution later...
(Score: 3, Insightful) by davester666 on Wednesday August 13 2014, @08:01AM
Sorry, it's "free speech". The kind only cash can say.
(Score: 2) by SpockLogic on Wednesday August 13 2014, @01:18PM
Now this is "free speech". It's a hilarious example of truth in advertising. Some might consider it NSFW.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ilMx7k7mso [youtube.com]
Overreacting is one thing, sticking your head up your ass hoping the problem goes away is another - edIII
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Wednesday August 13 2014, @08:28AM
Will no one stop these illegal brides! I am sick and tired of all these brides on a plane! Next thing you know, we will have Bridenado! (And you thought Bridezilla was bad enough! But seriously, Soylents, spelling counts?)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 13 2014, @08:46AM
Damn you autocorrect! [damnyouautocorrect.com]
(Score: 2) by nightsky30 on Wednesday August 13 2014, @09:45AM
Sharks I can handle. Brides...Way Too Scary.
(Score: 2) by davester666 on Wednesday August 13 2014, @07:58AM
...there might be an envelope with your name on it....
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Wednesday August 13 2014, @10:53AM
Too bad if the fine dinner were interrupted of hordes with placards and shouting outside. Those outdoor metal boxes with interconnects for lighting might also go dark.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by randmcnatt on Wednesday August 13 2014, @01:53PM
The Wright brothers were not the first to fly: they were the first to land.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Blackmoore on Wednesday August 13 2014, @01:54PM
let's just start calling as it really is "too big to function"
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday August 13 2014, @02:12PM
That's a good one. How about, "Too big to fail, but not too big to hang."
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 13 2014, @05:39PM
More scary is these companies have seemed to have given up on the 'we vs they' partisan fighting and are just 'contributing' to them all now.
I have also noticed a pattern. It seems high end diners get you votes. If that is all it takes to get my opinion up in front of the senate or congress I can spring 100-200 bucks and get whatever dumbass idea I come up with voted on...
Our two parties are holding our representatives hostage thru the use of campaign money. We need 1 term people with a gap of 10 years between terms. Unfortunately they have shown they can not be trusted with the keys to daddies car. Our system is being abused for the idea of being re-elected. That is what this money is being used for. We unfortunately need to starve the beast.
As a side note I really like 'stop the cap'. He posts many interesting net neutrality stories. I have been following Phillip Dampier for years now. He is doing an excellent job on that website. Though he and I disagree on a few minor points. He is top notch in reporting things. In fact he is the one who opened my eyes to how we are being played thru partisan fighting and how easily our 'representatives' are being straight up legally bribed.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by cafebabe on Wednesday August 13 2014, @09:28PM
I find it astounding that more than $1 billion is spent to get one man into a job which pays $400,000. Obviously, they're all doing it because they're devoted patriots.
People have suggested that true representative democracy requires selection akin to jury service. This would eliminate some or all party politics, campaign contributions and voting.
Even when people serve a final term, they act in a manner which could get their party re-elected or in which they consider their legacy. In all cases, this is contrary to the best interests of the citizens.
1702845791×2
(Score: 1) by black_trout on Wednesday August 13 2014, @07:09PM
If you think this kind of schmoozing isn't going on in other "non-monopolized" industries, then I have a bridge to sell you. $100,000 is the cost of compensating a single low level engineer for a year, and a figure no one above lower management considers significant enough to track. Its not like you can open up the FCC commissioner's Outlook calendar and send an invite at his next availability. This is the cost of doing business at this level and one of the reasons the little guys can't get into the market.
(Score: 2) by weeds on Thursday August 14 2014, @02:05PM
I normally stay out of political discourse. But I will make an exception this time. If this sort of thing bothers you, as id does me, take a look at the mayday [mayday.us] SuperPAC, the PAC to end all PACs. This PAC is in the business of getting campaign reform and getting the money out of politics.
Get money out of politics! [mayday.us]