Top Oversight Dem says FCC Republicans are obstructing inquiry

The top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee accused Republicans on the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday of obstructing an investigation into last year’s net neutrality debate.

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said that commissioners Ajit Pai and Michael O’Rielly have not provided documents as part of an investigation into the process leading up to the net neutrality rules the commission approved last February.

{mosads}“I am writing to request an explanation for your refusal to provide any documents in response to a request from the Oversight Committee more than a year ago relating to the rulemaking process for the Open Internet Order, which was released publicly on March 12, 2015,” Cummings said in the letter.

“Your refusal to cooperate with the Committee’s request is unacceptable, it obstructs our investigation, and it prevents the Committee from having a complete or accurate understanding of the circumstances surrounding this rulemaking,” he said.

He asked that by Friday the two commissioners lay out the steps they have taken to respond to the committee’s request and to say when their offices will fulfill the request.

Matthew Berry, Pai’s chief of staff, declined to comment on the letter. A staffer in O’Rielly’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Oversight Republicans launched an investigation last year into the White House’s influence over the final net neutrality rule, which attempts to ensure that all content on the web is treated in the same way. Democrats are worried that the two Republicans were coordinating with outside advocates, as well.

The controversial rules continue to be the subject of litigation, though they were upheld by a federal court earlier this year, and Republican outrage on Capitol Hill.