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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTrump's FCC Chair Praises Amazon Prime, Possibly Violating Same Ethics Rules as Kellyanne Conway
Trump's FCC Chair Praises Amazon Prime, Possibly Violating Same Ethics Rules as Kellyanne Conway
Eve Peyser
Sunday 11:33pm
In what appears to be a violation of the federal ethics rule that prohibits a government employee from using his public office for his own private gain, for the endorsement of any product, Ajit Pai, the controversial new chair of the FCC, tweeted and subsequently deleted praise* for Amazons PrimeNow service. Needed something in pinch & decided to try @amazonprimenow. Very impressed! Item was cheap & arrived early. May not leave the house again, Pai posted to on his official FCC Twitter account, only to delete moments later.
*
Screengrab via Ethan Chiel on Twitter**
Pais tweet appears to violate the same rule from the Code of Federal Regulations that Kellyanne Conway got into trouble with last week, when she encouraged viewers to buy Ivanka Trumps clothing line on live television. The code clearly prohibits employees from using their Government position or title or any authority associated with [their] public office to endorse any product, service or enterprise, so tweeting Amazon praise from his government Twitter account seems in conflict with that, which is perhaps why he swiftly deleted the tweet. Considering Pai chairs an organization that is in charge of regulating cable, radio, satellite, TV, and the internet, showing favoritism toward any technology company is neither a good or an ethical look. Then again, Pai used to be a lawyer for Verizon and plans to get poor people access to wifi using significant tax incentives, so a corporate endorsement should come as no surprise. This is far from the first time*** Pai has tweeted praise for Amazon, but it is the first time hes done since taking office.
**
*** https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--S08czFFr--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/lcjhe6q5shfsyjvh0bkn.jpg
{You'll have to cut and past that last one.}
{Cutline: This guy really loves Amazon, eh?}
Pai has already made rolling back Obama-era FCC regulations top priority, denying nine companies approval to provide broadband internet at a subsidized cost to low-income people, already betraying his promise to close the digital divide.
Eve Peyser
Sunday 11:33pm
In what appears to be a violation of the federal ethics rule that prohibits a government employee from using his public office for his own private gain, for the endorsement of any product, Ajit Pai, the controversial new chair of the FCC, tweeted and subsequently deleted praise* for Amazons PrimeNow service. Needed something in pinch & decided to try @amazonprimenow. Very impressed! Item was cheap & arrived early. May not leave the house again, Pai posted to on his official FCC Twitter account, only to delete moments later.
*
Link to tweet
Screengrab via Ethan Chiel on Twitter**
Pais tweet appears to violate the same rule from the Code of Federal Regulations that Kellyanne Conway got into trouble with last week, when she encouraged viewers to buy Ivanka Trumps clothing line on live television. The code clearly prohibits employees from using their Government position or title or any authority associated with [their] public office to endorse any product, service or enterprise, so tweeting Amazon praise from his government Twitter account seems in conflict with that, which is perhaps why he swiftly deleted the tweet. Considering Pai chairs an organization that is in charge of regulating cable, radio, satellite, TV, and the internet, showing favoritism toward any technology company is neither a good or an ethical look. Then again, Pai used to be a lawyer for Verizon and plans to get poor people access to wifi using significant tax incentives, so a corporate endorsement should come as no surprise. This is far from the first time*** Pai has tweeted praise for Amazon, but it is the first time hes done since taking office.
Ajit Pai just tweeted and deleted praise for Amazon's PrimeNow service.
8:58 PM - 19 Feb 2017
**
Link to tweet
*** https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--S08czFFr--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/lcjhe6q5shfsyjvh0bkn.jpg
{You'll have to cut and past that last one.}
{Cutline: This guy really loves Amazon, eh?}
Pai has already made rolling back Obama-era FCC regulations top priority, denying nine companies approval to provide broadband internet at a subsidized cost to low-income people, already betraying his promise to close the digital divide.
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Trump's FCC Chair Praises Amazon Prime, Possibly Violating Same Ethics Rules as Kellyanne Conway (Original Post)
mahatmakanejeeves
Feb 2017
OP
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)1. Honestly.....it sounds like a mistake......
an oversight.
Like, dude forgot he's the head of the FCC now.
exboyfil
(17,862 posts)2. Obama and Goose Island Beer
http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2014/02/25/obama-goose-island-beer/5819159/
Unless Ajit Pai has an equity interest in Amazon Prime, isn't his endorsement the same as what Obama did?
Unless Ajit Pai has an equity interest in Amazon Prime, isn't his endorsement the same as what Obama did?
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,298 posts)4. Did anything happen as a result?
It's hard to believe no one said anything.
Thanks for writing.
exboyfil
(17,862 posts)5. It has been brought up
in relation to Conway. It would have been a big deal if Obama had an equity stake in the company, but he did not. I kind of viewed it as a plug for something he liked and something to help out his hometown.
It did not register for me when Obama first did it.
intheozone
(1,102 posts)3. Makes me wonder how much Amazon stock Pai owns. eom