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It's official: Ajit Pai is next FCC chairman

Kim Hart, author of Cities

AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File

As the most senior Republican Commissioner on the panel, Ajit Pai had been the front-runner for the chairmanship, and he had the support of key advisors on the Trump transition team.

What it means: Pai has said he wants to take a "weed-wacker" to regulation, and net neutrality is at the top of his list. He'll also likely roll back privacy regulations, loosen media ownership rules and take a relatively hands-off approach to merger reviews. Find a look at his stances on the issues here.

Good news for big telecom players: Pai's views on telecom policy largely align with those of major telecom providers such as AT&T, Verizon and Comcast, which have vocally opposed net neutrality rules and other regulation of broadband services. US Telecom, which represents many large providers, said in a statement that it shares the strategy "to erase the many regulatory barriers impeding the expansion" of communication networks.

Bad news for edge providers: Supporters and beneficiaries of net neutrality rules, such as web start-ups and larger players such as Netflix and Google, are worried Pai will take a draconian de-regulatory approach. Public Knowledge, a consumer interest group, quickly called out Pai's "history of attacking consumer protections," and urged him to focus on driving down prices and expanding choices.

Go deeper

Jonathan Swan
3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Scoop: Gina Haspel threatened to resign over plan to install Kash Patel as CIA deputy

CIA Director Gina Haspel. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

CIA Director Gina Haspel threatened to resign in early December after President Trump cooked up a hasty plan to install loyalist Kash Patel, a former aide to Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), as her deputy, according to three senior administration officials with direct knowledge of the matter.

Why it matters: The revelation stunned national security officials and almost blew up the leadership of the world's most powerful spy agency. Only a series of coincidences — and last minute interventions from Vice President Mike Pence and White House counsel Pat Cipollone — stopped it.

Go deeper (3 min. read)Arrow
Axios
Updated 4 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Health: Coronavirus deaths reach 4,000 per day as hospitals remain in crisis mode — CDC warns highly transmissible coronavirus variant could become dominant in U.S. in March.
  2. Politics: Biden says, "We will manage the hell out of" vaccine distribution — Biden taps ex-FDA chief to lead Operation Warp Speed amid rollout of COVID plan — Widow of GOP congressman-elect who died of COVID-19 will run to fill his seat.
  3. Vaccine: Battling Black mistrust of the vaccines — "Pharmacy deserts" could become vaccine deserts — Instacart to give $25 to shoppers who get vaccine.
  4. Economy: Unemployment filings explode again — Fed chair: No interest rate hike coming any time soon —  Inflation rose more than expected in December.
  5. World: WHO team arrives in China to investigate pandemic origins.
Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Lachlan Markay
5 hours ago - Politics & Policy

John Weaver, Lincoln Project co-founder, acknowledges “inappropriate” messages

John Weaver aboard John McCain's campaign plane in February 2000. Photo: Robert Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)

John Weaver, a veteran Republican operative who co-founded the Lincoln Project, declared in a statement to Axios on Friday that he sent “inappropriate,” sexually charged messages to multiple men.

  • “To the men I made uncomfortable through my messages that I viewed as consensual mutual conversations at the time: I am truly sorry. They were inappropriate and it was because of my failings that this discomfort was brought on you,” Weaver said.
  • “The truth is that I'm gay,” he added. “And that I have a wife and two kids who I love. My inability to reconcile those two truths has led to this agonizing place.”
Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow