President Donald Trump and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai ate lunch the same day a federal court released its decision on a much anticipated net neutrality case, according to a new report.
Axios reported on the lunch on Tuesday morning, citing sources.
Last week, the United States Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit released a decision that mostly upheld the order the FCC used to repeal net neutrality rules. However, the court also threw out a portion of it that blocked states from enacting their own laws in the absence of federal-level laws.
The lunch between Trump and Pai on the day of the decision—which had been anticipated for months—was a coincidence and called a “family” event, the sources told Axios.
However, yesterday Trump tweeted about the court’s ruling, only the second time Trump posted about the issue, where he called it a “big win.”
“We just WON the big court case on Net Neutrality Rules! A great win for the future and speed of the internet. Will lead to many big things including 5G. Congratulations to the FCC and its Chairman, Ajit Pai!” the president tweeted early Monday morning.
We just WON the big court case on Net Neutrality Rules! A great win for the future and speed of the internet. Will lead to many big things including 5G. Congratulations to the FCC and its Chairman, Ajit Pai!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2019
While Trump claimed victory, a number of net neutrality advocates have said the ruling does open up the door for states to try and enact their own laws, some of which, like one in California, actually go farther than the repealed 2015 Open Internet Order did.
You can read all of the report from Axios here.
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