FCC defends GOP commissioners' appearance at CPAC

The Federal Communications Commission’s top lawyer says that Republican commissioners who attended the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) earlier in 2018 did not violate any ethics rules. FCC General Counsel Thomas Johnson Jr. said that the appearance by the three GOP commissioners was in line with ethics requirements because even though CPAC is a conservative event, it’s nonpartisan. “The Commissioners' ability to accept prominent speaking engagements like this one helps promote transparency and accountability and encourages public participation and interest in Commission rulemakings, without contravening applicable ethics obligations,” Johnson wrote in a letter sent to Democratic Reps on the House Commerce Committee.

House Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ) blasted Johnson’s letter, accusing the Republicans of ducking congressional oversight of their “increasingly political actions.” "We asked the Commissioners legitimate questions and expected them to respond, not to hide behind their lawyer,” Ranking Member Pallone said. “The general counsel did not provide any legal reason why the Commissioners could not respond, and we still expect the Commissioners to answer our questions."