Posted on 08/12/2014 7:14:40 PM PDT by Lorianne
Full title: Comcast Spends $110k On Award Dinner For FCC Commissioner, Doesn’t See Why Anyone Thinks That’s A Problem
Comcast really wants to buy Time Warner Cable. Really really. And they have no shortage of ways, both subtle and obvious, to try to push the odds farther in their favor. Targeted philanthropy and sponsorships are definitely a part of that, and Comcast is usually happy to take the credit. So while spending six figures to sponsor an event honoring a sitting FCC commissioner who gets to make decisions about things like media mergers might seem a little out of bounds to the likes of you and me, Comcast is shocked, shocked that we would think they could possibly have an ulterior motive.
Politico reports that Comcast and Time Warner Cable have together contributed $132,000 ($110k from Comcast, $22k from TWC) this year to sponsor the Walter Kaitz Foundation’s annual dinner in September. The companies, along with others in the industry, have a long relationship with the Kaitz Foundation, which promotes diversity in the cable industry. But this year’s honoree is FCC commissioner Mignon Clyburn, so the timing has raised more than a few eyebrows.
Carrie Levine, research director for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, wrote in a blog post that “the timing is curious.” Levine added, “They’re honoring an FCC commissioner at the exact same time they’re trying to get approval for a merger. And that doesn’t look so good.”
No, Comcast, it does not look good. In fact, it looks even worse than the event Comcast tried to throw at the home of an anti-municipal broadband state senator in Kansas last month.
(Excerpt) Read more at consumerist.com ...
bump
USA = banana republic de El Norte
If you lived in an increasingly fascist country with an overtly fascist regime in control of administrative law, you’d do this too.
And I can’t have a pharmaceutical salesperson give me even a pen or scratchpad. Oh my, that would completely corrupt my prescribing habits.
We think we have it settled. If not, I will do exactly what you suggested. It’s a great idea!
Is that legal?
Before you decide, do your research on line.
Find user comments, NOT at the providers' web sites, though.
For me, I'll just say I hated the "hopper."
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