Salon: Joe Biden’s agenda faces an unprecedented onslaught of dark money: The FCC is just the start

02.19.2023 / By RAE HODGE
Salon: Joe Biden's agenda faces an unprecedented onslaught of dark money: The FCC is just the start

"It's clear the industry sees no problems with the status quo," said Getachew. "In a Senate where the Democratic majority is not high, they only need a couple of Democrats to tilt the balance in their favor." Lobbying campaigns against Sohn, Getachew noted, have included those from the Fraternal Order of Police, which has opposed Sohn on the grounds that she personally supports end-to-end encrypted messaging (over which the FCC has no jurisdiction). The FOP argues it can delay police efforts to access cell phone records. Everyone involved understands that "law enforcement access issues are not in the purview of the FCC," said Getachew. The FOP's opposition to Sohn, he suggested, is "driven by a larger industry."

“It’s clear the industry sees no problems with the status quo,” said Getachew. “In a Senate where the Democratic majority is not high, they only need a couple of Democrats to tilt the balance in their favor.”

Lobbying campaigns against Sohn, Getachew noted, have included those from the Fraternal Order of Police, which has opposed Sohn on the grounds that she personally supports end-to-end encrypted messaging (over which the FCC has no jurisdiction). The FOP argues it can delay police efforts to access cell phone records.

Everyone involved understands that “law enforcement access issues are not in the purview of the FCC,” said Getachew. The FOP’s opposition to Sohn, he suggested, is “driven by a larger industry.”

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