$1 Million Vote Against Net Neutrality

[AnnieBW]

Found this off of Paul Kapustka's VoIP blog:

http://chicagosuntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-sweet25.html


News Archive
Rush's million-dollar conflict?

April 25, 2006

BY LYNN SWEET Sun-Times Washington Bureau Chief

WASHINGTON -- An Englewood community center founded by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), a key player on telecommunications legislation, received a $1 million grant from the charitable arm of SBC/AT&T, one of the nation's largest phone companies.

The chief of a congressional watchdog group says Rush's ongoing association with the Rebirth of Englewood Community Development Corporation and his role in shaping telecommunications law as a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee is a conflict of interest. Using charitable giving as a backdoor way to curry favor with lawmakers is coming under increasing scrutiny, figuring in controversies associated with former Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.), who was forced to temporarily step aside as the ranking Democrat on the Ethics panel.

On Wednesday, the energy and commerce panel on which Rush sits is set to vote on a controversial rewrite of telecommunications law co-sponsored by Rush and backed by major phone companies eager to compete with cable television companies.

[cyclezealot]

1. Boston Herald just ran a story on this vote

The internet neutral amendment was proposed by Mass. COngress member Markey.. Went down on a partisan-line vote. Verizon one step closer to having their way. How will this effect us with our favorite , non commercial web sites.?