A group of Senate Democrats is calling on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to recuse himself from matters related to the Sinclair Broadcast Group and its proposed takeover of Tribune Media.
According to The Hill, Democratic Sens. Maria Cantwell (Wash.) and Tom Udall (N.M.) led a group of senators in sending a letter to Pai on Wednesday saying “it is imperative you recuse yourself from certain matters in order to protect the public interest, integrity and independence of the agency’s decision-making process until after the FCC’s inspector general determines whether the facts warrant your permanent recusal.”
In a separate letter sent to the FCC inspector general, the Democratic senators called for an investigation into Pai’s impartiality.
Democrats want Pai to recuse himself from a pair of votes on media regulations at an FCC meeting on Thursday. They believe that the proposals up for vote are also intended to benefit Sinclair.
An FCC spokesperson called the bid absurd. “This request is absurd on its face and nothing more than a last-ditch attempt by those desperate to block innovation in the broadcast industry and modernization of the FCC’s outdated broadcast ownership rules.”
Pai’s critics have noted that he has pushed through a number of deregulatory proposals that appear to clear regulatory obstacles from Sinclair’s proposed expansion.
If the FCC approves Sinclair’s $3.9 billion purchase of Tribune, the combined local television stations will be able to reach more than two-thirds of the country’s television audience. Broadcasters are currently capped at 39 percent.
Earlier this year, the FCC reinstated a rule that would help Sinclair avoid running afoul of the ownership limit by discounting certain stations towards the audience cap.
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