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Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s campaign has sent personal invitations to some of the telecom industry’s most powerful lobbying groups asking them to attend an “information session” that will give the lobbyists “an inside look on the work underway on planning for the transition,” should Donald Trump become the next president of the United States.
Communications Daily reports the secretive meeting will be held at the powerhouse D.C. law firm Baker Hostetler, and will feature Trump transition team leader Chris Christie, the current governor of New Jersey.¹
The Trump campaign has remained almost totally silent on telecom public policy issues, but the meeting will give some of the country’s biggest telecom companies face time to influence an incoming Trump Administration on telecom issues ranging from wireless spectrum to Net Neutrality to competition and regulation matters.
Transition team member Andrew Bremberg, a former aide to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) sent the invitations. Likely to attend are lobbyists from NCTA-The Internet Association (cable lobby) and the CTIA (the wireless industry’s principal lobbyist). Also expected are individuals representing some of the largest telecom companies in the country. Up to 100 lobbyists are expected to attend.
The Trump campaign has refused to confirm the event and efforts to reach lobbyists expected to attend to confirm the meeting have also been rebuffed.
Such meetings give lobbyists invaluable face time with important incoming administration officials and often stimulate political campaign contributions. Consumers or their representatives are never invited to attend.
The Trump campaign has proven elusive about the candidate’s views on telecom policies. The Clinton campaign has been more forthcoming, released dozens of pages outlining a comprehensive telecom policy with claims the candidate favors Net Neutrality and wants to spend a considerable sum of taxpayer dollars on enhancing rural broadband.
¹Telecom Officials Likely on Deck for Next Week’s Trump Transition Meeting – Communications Daily/Comm Daily® Notebook, 30 Sep 2016, Ref: 1609290070 – (Subscription req’d.)
This is the reason why we need Hillary Clinton to win to save net neutrality.
This is the first topic for which someone has given me a real reason to vote for Hillary Clinton besides “She is not Donald Trump”. As someone who is deeply concerned that we are still not doing enough to provide quality last mile broadband internet service to under-served rural communities, it matters. For those who say “who cares? If you want broadband, live in an urban population center.” I say “So you don’t think the people who farm and grow the food which you end up buying in supermarkets or in the food your order for takeout deserve to enjoy… Read more »
Wasn’t Clinton for all the cable mergers?
No. Bill Clinton signed the 1996 Telecom Act, which was a disaster for competition and more mindless deregulation that just fired up a consolidation frenzy. But years later, at least he admitted it was a big mistake. When I catch politicians selling us out advocating for cable mergers, I expose them regardless of party. I don’t see anything from Hillary supporting cable mergers. I am concerned about her political contributions coming from giant corporate interests. Her opponent is a giant corporate interest, so I guess that settles that. 🙂
According to this WSJ article: $27.6 million for Clinton, and $19,000 (thousand) to Trump from Wall Street Hedge funds; for period ending 29JUL16.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/hedge-fund-money-has-vastly-favored-clinton-over-trump-1469784601?tesla=y
As of July 29, 2016 it looks like Wall Street Hedge funds favor Clinton by $1,477 for each Trump $1 donated. The article does throw around lots of numbers, but it still looks like Clinton has 1000X ( a thousand times) more wall street funding support than Trump.
Maybe someone can find more current numbers.