FCC secrecy over net neutrality comments leads to settlement for journalist

The Federal Communications Commission has settled a case over its refusal to comply with a public records request, agreeing to pay $43,000 to a journalist who sued the commission. Freelance writer Jason Prechtel filed a Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) request with the FCC in mid-2017, asking for data that would identify who made bulk comment uploads in the proceeding that led to the repeal of network neutrality rules. Prechtel was trying to research comments that were falsely attributed to people without their knowledge. The FCC didn't comply with the request and allegedly didn't even approve or deny the FoIA request within the legally allotted timeframe, so Prechtel sued the commission in Sept 2017. One year later, a US District Court judge presiding over the case ordered the FCC to stop withholding certain records sought by Prechtel, although the ruling didn't give Prechtel everything he asked for. A settlement agreement filed in court this week says the FCC agreed to pay Prechtel $43,000 to cover his attorneys' fees and court costs. Chairman Ajit Pai's FCC did not admit any wrongdoing, but the settlement has resulted in the case being closed.