Reversing Rules for Political Expediency Will Damage FCC Decisions' 'Finality,' UCC OC Says

The draft media ownership order on reconsideration is an “abuse” of FCC rules for recon orders because it relies on “no new evidence,” the United Church of Christ Communications Office (UCC OC) said in meetings and calls last week with aides to Chairman Ajit Pai and to Commissioners Brendan Carr, Mike O’Rielly, Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel, according to an ex parte filing in docket 14-50. “Wholesale reversal” on media ownership will “only encourage waste of Commission resources as every disappointed commenter seeks to reassert the same facts and arguments previously raised in repeated petitions for reconsideration,” UCC OC said. Reversing the rules for “temporary political purpose” will damage the "finality" of future rulemakings, the filing said. The draft order ignores repeated directives from the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to base such decisions on data and analysis, and information in the record on likely consequences from eliminating the cross-ownership rules and eight-voices test, UCC OC said. The recon order may be difficult to challenge, attorneys have said (see 1710310067)