Chairman Pai Pulls Out of NRECA Speech Over Threats

There was a second speech Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai canceled this week, apparently related to the ongoing threat level tied to his Restoring Internet Freedom order vote to roll back network neutrality. Apparently, Jay Schwarz, wireline advisor to Chairman Pai, was dispatched to the CEO Close-Up Conference of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) in Palm Desert (CA) Jan 8. On Dec. 4, NRECA announced that Chairman Pai would be the keynote speaker at the conference's opening general session, but Schwarz spoke instead. "The Chairman did not attend the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Conference," a spokesperson for Chairman Pai confirmed, but declined comment on the reason: "We do not comment on security measures or concerns."