Colleague salutes FCC's Copps

Several telecom policy stakeholders used the December open meeting of the Federal Communications Commission to bid farewell to Democratic Commissioner Michael Copps, who will retire at the end of the year. Republican Commissioner Robert McDowell sounded a bittersweet note, complimenting Commissioner Copps for his willingness to work across party lines and paying tribute to his eloquence.

Commissioner Copps joined the FCC in 2001; during his 10-year service he was an outspoken advocate for net neutrality and increasing diversity in the media and telecom industry. He also voted against media consolidation several times, including the lone vote against approve the NBC Universal-Comcast merger last year. "We hear a lot these days from cynics about how Washington inevitably corrupts even those with the best intentions, about how no one can hope to make a difference anymore. Those cynics never met Michael Copps," said Public Knowledge legal director Harold Feld. "Anyone watching local news or enjoying the open Internet owes a debt to Commissioner Copps and what he accomplished in his time at the commission."