Today, the Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on Gigi Sohn for a 5-year term on the Federal Communications Commission. Ms. Sohn is a Ford Foundation alum, George Soros Open Society Foundation Fellow, and far-left activist. American Commitment strongly opposed this nomination and urges all Senate Republicans and moderate Democrats to reject this dangerous nominee.
Sohn’s extreme views and unhinged temperament make her unfit to serve on the FCC or anywhere in government. Sohn has labeled Fox News“state-sponsored propaganda,” called it“dangerous to our democracy,” and said it is“destroying democracy & electing autocrats.” She hasexpressed interestin using the FCC’s power to silence media outlets she disagrees with.
Sohn has stated that Senate Republicans are a threat to our Republic and allowed their ideology to overtake their duty to serve their constituents. She believes Republicans can only win elections by suppressing votes.
Sohn’s opposition to basic copyright and IP protections led her to joining the board of an organization (Locast) that stole the signals of broadcasters and retransmitted them for profit without consent. A district court just entered a $32 million judgment against her organization for this conduct, which violated the U.S. Copyright Act.
Senator Thom Tillis justwrotethe White House demanding that they withdraw her nomination for her extreme IP positions alone.
While the FCC has a history of bipartisan cooperation, it’s hard to envision Sohn ever working across the aisle given that shebelievesSenators that disagree with her extreme views are“bought and paid for.”
Sohn has hardened andextreme viewson a wide range of FCC issues that are critical to conservatives, and this extremism has resulted in a wide range of groups and individuals opposing her nomination.
Among those in opposition are theWall Street Journal Editorial Board,FreedomWorks, and Americans for Tax Reform’sGrover Norquist. Many Republican Senators have already gone on the record in opposition, includingSenators Lindsay Graham,Marsha Blackburn, andRon Johnson. And the National Association of Broadcasters hasexpressed concernsabout Sohn’s inherent conflict of interest on media issues before the FCC given her participation in an illegal scheme to steal television content.
Sohn’s extreme views, radical temperament, and hostility to intellectual property are disqualifying. Senate Republicans must oppose this nomination, and moderate Democrats should join them.
Photo Credit: Joel Sage