In a recent instance of ridiculous hypocrisy…
For many months, media reform group Free Press has been waging war on Internet Service Providers—demonizing ISPs and labeling their lobbyist meetings with the FCC as a picture of “failed democracy.” Free Press has repeatedly openly bombarded the FCC with criticisms over their off-the-record meetings with telecommunications companies concerning the future of the Internet.
Just yesterday the Daily Caller published an article detailing thirty instances throughout 2009 of undisclosed meetings that Free Press had with FCC officials. It seems Free Press should have followed its own advice.
In addition, Free Press:
• “Misreported its lobbying expenditures for the last five years”
• “Failed to report secret meetings with high-ranking officials from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration”
• “Failed to report its involvement in the crafting of the Broadband Internet Fairness Act and the Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2009” (whole story here)
It’s well-known that Free Press is the neck that turns the head of the FCC. Suspiciously, Chairman Genachowski’s press secretary is the former communications director of Free Press, and there have been multiple instances when Free Press took a stance on an issue and the FCC responded like a well-trained lapdog.
Free Press sought to appease the issue by saying that these are “amateur arguments” and providing us with an insulting “Lesson in Transparent Lobbying,” but the facts are that Free Press hid secret meetings from the public as they slam the FCC for the exact same business practice.
As Free Press continues their “Google, Don’t Be Evil” campaign, it raises the question: Free Press, are you Evil?