As Edgars Rkēvičs be the first openly gay print Latvia’s history, here’s a glimpse at other openly gay heads of state om around the world.
Latvia swore the first openly gay print of a Baltic natn Rkēvičs, who sce 2011 was the untry’s foreign mister, was elected by Parliament May after Print Egils Levs did not seek re-electn.
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style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:block;overflow:hidn;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;posn:relative"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:block;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;paddg-top:100%"></span><img alt="Gigi Sohn, a woman wh short brown hair and glass, stands outsi Washgton, DC." siz="100vw" srcSet="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 376w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 384w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 415w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 480w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 540w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 640w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 750w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 828w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1080w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1200w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1440w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1920w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2048w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2400w" src="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/" dg="async" data-nimg="rponsive" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver"/></span></figure></div><div class="hidn md:block"><figure class="duet--article--le-image w-full"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:block;overflow:hidn;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;posn:relative"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:block;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;paddg-top:66.63636363636364%"></span><img alt="Gigi Sohn, a woman wh short brown hair and glass, stands outsi Washgton, DC." siz="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, (max-width: 1180px) 700px, 1100px" srcSet="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 376w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 384w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 415w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 480w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 540w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 640w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 750w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 828w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1080w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1200w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1440w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1920w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2048w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2400w" src="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/" dg="async" data-nimg="rponsive" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver"/></span></figure></div></div></div><div class="relative mt-28 md:mx-to md:flex md:max-w-ntaer-md lg:mt-36 lg:max-w-none"><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent-ntaer sm:ml-to md:ml-100 md:max-w-article-body lg:mx-100"><div id="ntent" class="clearfix"><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup mb-20 font-fkroman text-22 leadg-150 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe first-letter:float-left first-letter:mr-18 first-letter:font-polysans-mono first-letter:text-[117px] first-letter:font-medium first-letter:leadg-[.72] dark:first-letter:text-ankl">The Monday before Gigi Sohn whdrew her nomatn to the Feral Communitns Commissn, she sat down her Washgton, DC, home wh her wife and teenage dghter to fish draftg the statement announcg the cisn.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Nearly 500 days had passed sce Print Joe Bin first picked her to bee the third Democrat to the natn’s top telemunitns regulator, and she was nowhere closer to nfirmatn than when her name was first announced October 2021. While other Bin nome, like now Chair Jsi Rosenworcel, soared through the nfirmatn procs, Sohn was met wh a fierce opposn mpaign tradnally saved for a print’s Supreme Court or bet nome. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">“I had wrten the whdrawal statement a year before,” Sohn told me over the phone early June. Whenever a new mor or attack agast her me out the pag of <em>The Wall Street Journal </em>or headled a sthg Fox News<em> </em>segment, she’d dig that statement back up wonrg whether was enough to spook Senate Democrats agast her.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Her nomatn was supposed to be the crowng achievement of her 30-year reer — and more importantly, a key piece of Bin’s plans for the ter. The vid panmic had shown jt how necsary improvg ter accs was across the US. Parents drove up to fast food rtrants for Wi-Fi so their kids uld fish their remote schoolg homework, and librari beme hubs for rental hotspots. The Bin admistratn’s goal was to fally bridge the digal divi, expandg accs to high-speed broadband everywhere.<strong> </strong></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe"><strong> </strong>But by March 7th, Sohn knew was over. After three nomatns and three nfirmatn heargs that got nastier wh each new eratn, the vot jt weren’t there. Her opposn had read all of her tweets, found flts nearly every posn she ever held, and ma up new problems when everythg else wasn’t enough. Sohn herself felt like she’d been held at arm’s length, unable to rpond to the smear mpaign nsumg her life and nomatn.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Pullg out of the nng no longer felt so difficult. Instead, the announcement would be an opportuny to speak up for herself, she thought. At least this whdrawal would be on her own terms. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Then, a day before that planned announcement, Sen. Joe Manch sucked the air out of her plans. The centrist Democrat om Wt Virgia publicly opposed Sohn’s nfirmatn. “The FCC mt rema above the toxic partisanship that Amerins are sick and tired of, and Ms. Sohn has clearly shown she is not the person to do that,” Manch said a statement. “I urge the Bin admistratn to put forward a nomee who n brg together, not drive apart.” It was odd timg, Sohn thought — she had only notified the Whe Hoe, the Senate Commerce Commtee, and her fay of her plans. If every other Democrat supported Sohn’s nomatn, Manch’s vote wouldn’t matter. But that didn’t stop him om hijackg her announcement.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">The g had been pulled om unr her yet aga. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent clear-both block w-full md:ml-[-100px] md:w-outnt"><div class="my-9"><div class="transn-all duratn-300 ease--out"><div class="fixed set-0 h-[110vh] w-full bg-whe transn-all duratn-300 ease--out z-[-1] cursor-flt opacy-0"></div><div role="button" aria-label="Zoom" tabx="0" class="visible z-30 w-full orig-center transn-all duratn-300 ease--out cursor-zoom-"><figure class="transn-all duratn-300 ease--out lg:mx-0"><div><div class="duet--media--ntent-warng relative" style="paddg-top:66.66666666666666%"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:block;overflow:hidn;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0"><img alt="Gigi Sohn outdoors agast a backdrop of bare tre" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" dg="async" data-nimg="fill" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver"/><noscript><img alt="Gigi Sohn outdoors agast a backdrop of bare tre" loadg="lazy" dg="async" data-nimg="fill" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver" siz="(max-width: 1023px) 100vw, 744px" srcSet="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 376w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 384w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 415w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 480w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 540w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 640w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 750w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 828w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1080w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1200w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1440w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1920w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2048w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2400w" src="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/"/></noscript></span></div></div></figure></div><div class="z-1 w-full hidn"><figure class="transn-all duratn-300 ease--out lg:mx-0"><div><div class="duet--media--ntent-warng relative" style="paddg-top:66.66666666666666%"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:block;overflow:hidn;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0"><img alt="Gigi Sohn outdoors agast a backdrop of bare tre" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" dg="async" data-nimg="fill" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver"/><noscript><img alt="Gigi Sohn outdoors agast a backdrop of bare tre" loadg="lazy" dg="async" data-nimg="fill" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver" siz="(max-width: 1023px) 100vw, 744px" srcSet="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 376w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 384w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 415w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 480w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 540w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 640w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 750w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 828w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1080w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1200w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1440w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1920w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2048w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2400w" src="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/"/></noscript></span></div></div></figure></div></div></div></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup mb-20 font-fkroman text-22 leadg-150 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe first-letter:float-left first-letter:mr-18 first-letter:font-polysans-mono first-letter:text-[117px] first-letter:font-medium first-letter:leadg-[.72] dark:first-letter:text-ankl">Sohn began her reer tech policy s earlier — wh a battle for accs not onle but on TV.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">When Sohn graduated law school 1986, the Uned Stat was unrgog a televisn programmg revolutn. The Reagan admistratn had unwound many of the regulatns limg ble adoptn, disptg the grasp that domant roof-top antenna broadsters like ABC, CBS, and NBC held over what people uld watch their own hom. Cable televisn’s promise of limls, even nflictg programmg offered a new lane for openg media ownership up to more groups. And wh ble pani quickly takg over broadst as the domant programmg provirs, she saw an opportuny to seize the moment.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">“I spent a good part of my early part of my reer om the late ’80s to the mid-to-late ’90s tryg to make broadstg and ble more mocratic,” Sohn said. “A lot of work my early reer was tryg to diversify ownership of media, try and get ble to actually give meangful accs to differg voic.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">In 1988, she joed the Media Accs Project (MAP), a public tert law firm voted to diversifyg media ownership. Found the 1970s, MAP’s early work foced on openg works to ownership by civil rights and anti-Vietnam War activists. Startg the 1980s, phed for a return to the Fairns Doctre, a set of Reagan-abolished FCC l that required broadsters to prent opposg perspectiv on ntroversial issu. But as attempts to restate those l failed, Sohn and her lleagu turned to prsurg the emergg tele behemoths to hostg a variety of iologilly pennt works. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">In the early 2000s, ble pani were gettg an appete for a new medium: broadband ter. Broadband had the potential to do everythg ble TV had done and more.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">“The ter along and chang everythg,” Sohn said. “We go om top-down mand-and-ntrol media to this medium where anybody who uld afford a nnectn has a voice.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent clear-both block md:float-left md:mr-30 md:w-[320px] lg:-ml-100"><div class="duet--article--article-pullquote mb-20"><div class="mb-10 h-[22px] w-[65px] bg-ankl"></div><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup relative bg-repeatg-l-dark bg-[length:1px_1.2em] pb-8 font-polysans text-28 font-medium leadg-120 trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:bg-repeatg-l-light dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple">“The ter along and chang everythg.”</p></div></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">For one thg, accs was wildly uneven. At the begng of 2005, 32 percent of whe Amerins had accs to broadband the home, pared to 13 percent of Black Amerins, <a href=">acrdg to Pew Rearch Center data</a>. Around 58 percent of fai makg $75,000 a year had ter accs at home at the time. Only 15 percent of hoeholds makg ls than $30,000 a year had parable accs.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">For another, there was ltle stoppg ble pani om shapg what ntent went onle or how fast was livered. Broadband was classified as a Tle I “rmatn service” unr the Telemunitns Act of 1996. Unlike a Tle II mon rrier, regulators had ltle clear thory to stop service provirs om discrimatg agast the onle equivalent of upstart ble channels. That meant ter provirs uld rtrict what ctomers had accs to see and teract wh onle. In 2003, legal scholar Tim Wu ed the term “ ntraly” <a href="> an amic paper</a>, llg the ia “no different than the challenge of promotg fair evolutnary petn any privately owned environment.” </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Sohn saw ter accs as a landmark stggle for ee exprsn. In 2001, she -found Public Knowledge, a policy group that promoted open ter l and expand broadband accs. The group took hard stanc on protectg nsumer privacy, opposg <a href=">rriers beg able to snoop</a> on what ers are accsg onle.<strong> </strong>It opposed the creasg nsolidatn of media pani, like Comst’s merger wh NBCUniversal.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Bee of Public Knowledge’s goal to enhance petn ble, s work didn’t always f neatly along partisan l. One of the group’s strange bedfellows was Herrg Networks, found by Robert Herrg Sr. and his sons, Charl and Robert Jr. The Herrgs entered the ble world 2004 wh WealthTV, a channel dited to the dac liftyl of the rich and famo. But ble pani wouldn’t rry the channel, even when the Herrgs offered for ee. By 2007, the fay lated this battle, <a href=">petng the FCC for help</a>. In FCC filgs, the pany acced large ble provirs of discrimatg agast pennt works orr to protect the dienc of their own outlets. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Dpe the support of Sohn and groups like the Media Accs Project filgs and amic briefs, the Herrgs’<strong> </strong>WealthTV pleas failed urt. But they ntued to cross paths, opposg giant mergers between pani like Sclair and Tribune Media as the Herrgs’ latt venture, One Ameri News, started <a href=">to take off the late 2010s</a>. “There’s a petive news work that wants to e on the scene. Why is , given that ble isn’t channel nstraed, that they n’t rry OAN? And ’s bee other statns don’t want the petn om a new news channel,” said Greg Guice, ernment affairs director for Public Knowledge, scribg Sohn’s support for the Herrgs. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Charl Herrg me out support of Sohn’s nomatn shortly after was announced 2021. “I’ve fought the trench si-by-si wh Gigi Sohn for a number of years on multiple issu,” Herrg said. “I’m fully aware of Gigi’s personal views, yet I’m even more knowledgeable on her strong belief and advocy for diversy the programmg lp, pecially news, regardls of nflicts wh her personal views.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Through the 2000s and early 2010s, broadband accs and ntraly beme a rnerstone of progrsive ter policy. Republins — and large ble pani — opposed expandg the FCC’s power by givg more thory over ter service provirs. Sen. Ted Cz (R-TX) went as far as llg ntraly <a href=">“Obamare for the ter.”</a></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Meanwhile, throughout his printial mpaign, Barack Obama pledged to support the troductn of ntraly l. After he was elected, his first-term FCC passed l banng ter provirs om blockg or throttlg ntent by 2010. But not even a year later, Verizon sued the FCC over the l and ultimately won when a feral appeals urt stck down the 2010 le at the begng of 2014. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Obama’s pick for a send term was Tom Wheeler, a former tele lobbyist. Many progrsive activists were skeptil of Wheeler. But while preparg to bee chair, he approached Sohn wh a proposal. “He lls me one day Augt and says, ‘I have this crazy ia.’ And I thought to myself, ‘He’s gonna ask me if I want to e work for him,’” Sohn said. “And his crazy ia, which was not so crazy executn, was for me to basilly be his ma stakeholr outreach person.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Wh Sohn as one of his many advisors, Wheeler led the agency a number of landmark nsumer protectns. The Wheeler FCC creased petn for set-top ble box and tried to overthrow state laws forbiddg municipal broadband works. But Wheeler’s major achievement was implementg ntraly natnwi. The ntraly l barred ter service provirs like AT&T and Verizon om blockg or favorg onle ntent. But most importantly, gave the agency power to regulate broadband.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent clear-both block md:float-left md:mr-30 md:w-[320px] lg:-ml-100"><div class="duet--article--article-pullquote mb-20"><div class="mb-10 h-[22px] w-[65px] bg-ankl"></div><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup relative bg-repeatg-l-dark bg-[length:1px_1.2em] pb-8 font-polysans text-28 font-medium leadg-120 trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:bg-repeatg-l-light dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple">“I was the only person his office who said ‘you need to do Tle II’ and didn’t change their md.”</p></div></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Net ntraly was a plex, downright wonky regulatory amework, but the mid-2010s, was a culture-wi battlefield. In 2014, the edian John Oliver voted a segment of his show, <em>Last Week Tonight</em>, to the issue, llg on viewers to flood the FCC’s ment sectns support of the l.<strong> </strong>A host of major web pani like Netflix, Redd, and Tumblr splashed their homepag wh warngs about onle “slow lan” — “ble pani want to set up toll booths on the ter,” blared Kickstarter’s homepage.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">“I supported Tom Wheeler beg the FCC chair among a lot of skepticism om public tert advot bee he had worked for the ble and wirels dtri. But that was a long time ago, and ’s when they were the new guys on the block,” Sohn said. “I was the only person his office who said ‘you need to do Tle II’ and didn’t change their md.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">The sense of triumph didn’t last long. After takg office, Print Donald Tmp oversaw the nfirmatn of nservative FCC Chair Aj Pai October 2017. Pai almost immediately led a vote to <a href="/2017/10/2/16404742/senate-aj-pai-vote-renfirm-fcc">overturn Tle II ntraly</a> December. For four years, and other progrsive goals — like expand broadband accs — languished. But 2020, Tmp lost the electn to Democratic challenger Joe Bin.<strong> </strong>Bin promised to brg back ntraly and get all Amerins accs to high-speed broadband. And he wanted Sohn to help him do . </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent clear-both block w-full md:ml-[-100px] md:w-outnt"><div class="my-9"><div class="transn-all duratn-300 ease--out"><div class="fixed set-0 h-[110vh] w-full bg-whe transn-all duratn-300 ease--out z-[-1] cursor-flt opacy-0"></div><div role="button" aria-label="Zoom" tabx="0" class="visible z-30 w-full orig-center transn-all duratn-300 ease--out cursor-zoom-"><figure class="transn-all duratn-300 ease--out lg:mx-0"><div><div class="duet--media--ntent-warng relative" style="paddg-top:66.66666666666666%"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:block;overflow:hidn;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0"><img alt="A woman’s feet stg shadow agast pavement" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" dg="async" data-nimg="fill" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver"/><noscript><img alt="A woman’s feet stg shadow agast pavement" loadg="lazy" dg="async" data-nimg="fill" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver" siz="(max-width: 1023px) 100vw, 744px" srcSet="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 376w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 384w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 415w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 480w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 540w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 640w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 750w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 828w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1080w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1200w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1440w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1920w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2048w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2400w" src="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/"/></noscript></span></div></div></figure></div><div class="z-1 w-full hidn"><figure class="transn-all duratn-300 ease--out lg:mx-0"><div><div class="duet--media--ntent-warng relative" style="paddg-top:66.66666666666666%"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:block;overflow:hidn;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0"><img alt="A woman’s feet stg shadow agast pavement" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" dg="async" data-nimg="fill" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver"/><noscript><img alt="A woman’s feet stg shadow agast pavement" loadg="lazy" dg="async" data-nimg="fill" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver" siz="(max-width: 1023px) 100vw, 744px" srcSet="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 376w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 384w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 415w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 480w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 540w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 640w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 750w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 828w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1080w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1200w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1440w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1920w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2048w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2400w" src="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/"/></noscript></span></div></div></figure></div></div></div></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup mb-20 font-fkroman text-22 leadg-150 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe first-letter:float-left first-letter:mr-18 first-letter:font-polysans-mono first-letter:text-[117px] first-letter:font-medium first-letter:leadg-[.72] dark:first-letter:text-ankl">In October 2021, Bin nomated Sohn to fill out the FCC’s Democratic majory. A <a href=">Whe Hoe prs release</a> appld her for makg “broadband ter accs more ubiquo, petive, affordable, open, and protective of er privacy.” If nfirmed, she would also be the first openly gay missner FCC history.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">“The first few weeks after I got nomated were all sunshe and ros,” Sohn rells of her nomatn. But om the begng, Bin was playg tch-up. Foced on the ongog vid panmic, he had waed ne months to nomate Sohn and proposed chair Jsi Rosenworcel — by ntrast, Tmp had put forward nome by June of his first year office. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">The Senate would tradnally have held Rosenworcel and Sohn’s heargs together, then moved both to a floor vote. But wh weeks, the procs veered off urse — and a nservative mpaign agast Sohn began to sp up. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent clear-both block md:float-left md:mr-30 md:w-[320px] lg:-ml-100"><div class="duet--article--article-pullquote mb-20"><div class="mb-10 h-[22px] w-[65px] bg-ankl"></div><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup relative bg-repeatg-l-dark bg-[length:1px_1.2em] pb-8 font-polysans text-28 font-medium leadg-120 trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:bg-repeatg-l-light dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple">The big qutn isn’t why Republins opposed a Democratic missner — ’s why Democrats failed to support her</p></div></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Sohn’s first klg of trouble me the form of <a href=">an op-ed <em>The Wall Street Journal</em></a>. The<em> Journal’s </em>edorial board cried Sohn as a would-be “media censor” and opposed her nomatn to the FCC. The se wasn’t built on her activism — which had, fact, earned her support om nservativ like Herrg. Instead, leaned on a handful of tweets cril of nservative media behemoths Fox News and Sclair Broadst Group. But the cricism ught on. The next day, Sen. Ldsey Graham (R-SC) amplified the arguments on Twter, lkg to the piece. “Gigi Sohn is a plete polil iologue who has disda for nservativ,” Graham tweeted. “She would be a plete nightmare for the untry when to regulatg the public airwav.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Sohn, turned out, had drawn the attentn of the Amerin Acuntabily Foundatn (AAF) — a nservative-aligned dark money group tied to the Tmp-backed Conservative Partnership Instute. The AAF was known for stigatg ntroversi around Democratic lawmakers — filed an ethics plat agast Rep. Alexandria Os-Cortez (D-NY), for stance, for attendg the 2021 Met Gala. But foced s strongt fire on lower-level Bin nome.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">In an terview wh Fox News, AAF founr and executive director Tom Jon said the anizatn’s ma goal is to “take a big handful of sand and throw the gears of the Bin admistratn.” Their obstctnist playbook aims to make the work of ernance more difficult for Democrats, pecially by targetg lower-level bet nomatns — who, Jon explaed, “are really the folks who are gog to do the day-to-day work implementg the agenda.” They may also not be worth the culture war headache that high-profile nome like Supreme Court pick Ketanji Brown Jackson brg. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">The playbook often worked. At agenci spanng the ATF to the Feral Aviatn Admistratn, the AAF succsfully stalled multiple Bin nomatns. And at one pot, Sohn was s biggt target. Over the urse of s mpaign, would release an onslght of billboard, newspaper, and digal ads to sk her nfirmatn.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">While nservativ may have opposed Sohn on social media, they remaed a nsistent mory — albe by a slim marg — the Senate. In the wake of her failed nomatn, the big qutn isn’t why Republins opposed a Democratic missner. It’s why Democrats, om Congrs to the Whe Hoe, failed to support her. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Sohn received her first nfirmatn hearg on December 1st, alone and more than two weeks later than her origal schled date. “Wh each lay, the lobbyists and staffers had more time to dig up dirt, twist dirt, and get edorials planted. If I had been done quickly, I would have been done. But they jt kept givg lay, lay, lay.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">The Whe Hoe and Democrat electeds issued tepid statements support of Sohn, if they issued any statements at all. Worse, Sohn says she wasn’t allowed to rpond to the attacks herself, claimg that the Whe Hoe forba her om speakg up.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">“It got to a pot January when I was gettg those homophobic attacks. ‘Can I talk to the prs?’ ’No, you nnot,’’’ Sohn said of her nversatns wh the Whe Hoe. “And I was sendg everythg to the Whe Hoe. Did they say anythg? No. Did [Senate Majory Lear Chuck] Schumer say anythg? No.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">The Whe Hoe did not rpond to a requt for ment.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Sohn’s heargs were far more hostile than were Rosenworcel’s as Republins pounced on the dark money-fueled fears over censorship. But after two heargs, Sohn’s nomatn advanced out of mtee by a tie 14–14 vote March 2022. Then, that nfirmatn languished for more than ne months bee Schumer never brought up for a vote on the floor. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent clear-both block md:float-left md:mr-30 md:w-[320px] lg:-ml-100"><div class="duet--article--article-pullquote mb-20"><div class="mb-10 h-[22px] w-[65px] bg-ankl"></div><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup relative bg-repeatg-l-dark bg-[length:1px_1.2em] pb-8 font-polysans text-28 font-medium leadg-120 trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:bg-repeatg-l-light dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple">Other Bin nome have also stggled to cross the fish le</p></div></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Outsi observers noted the marked lack of support. “They didn’t [the Whe Hoe] put the requise firepower a ernment would need to have done to unteract a multiln-dollar dark money mpaign,” Ernto Faln, senr legislative unsel at the Electronic Frontier Foundatn, said a March terview. “They were pletely unrtimatg the level of opposn and the level of persuasive ph the print’s bully pulp has and held back too much.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Brandon Tucker, Color of Change’s senr director of policy and ernment affairs, ma a siar pot to me back April. “I do mend the Whe Hoe for nomatg and renomatg a te champn and a tirels advote, but do feel as if once the wrg’s on the wall, smear mpaigns and the dark money entered the ay, there was not a unterpunch by her supporters.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Other Bin nome have stggled to cross the nfirmatn fish le over the last few years. Some were even targets of AAF. Sle Omarova, Lisa Cook, and Sarah Bloom Rask did not rpond to my requts for an terview or cled to speak wh me. Even now, Bin’s pick to replace Marty Walsh as labor secretary, Julie Su, is facg tough headwds om Republins and Democrats alike. Herbie Ziskend, puty Whe Hoe munitns director, tweeted <a href=">a <em>PunchBowl</em> <em>News</em> screenshot</a> last month tailg an admistratn-led mpaign to fish Su’s nfirmatn, seemgly learng a lson om past failed nomatns.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">What Su and Sohn’s nomatns have mon is the money and power the dtri they regulate have over the polil procs. Throughout the 2022 midterms, Comst alone ma nearly $9 ln polil ntributns and spent close to $14.5 ln on lobbyg, <a href=">acrdg to Feral Electn Commissn rerds</a>. The pany hired lobbyist Kirk Adams of Consilium Consultg Phoenix, Arizona, to work on “FCC nomatns” specifilly before that disclosure was leted and replaced wh “telemunitns policy”’ 11 hours later, <a href="><em>Ars Techni </em>reported last year</a>.<strong> </strong><a href=">AT&T</a> and <a href=">Verizon</a> ntributed siar amounts to both Democrats and Republins durg the last midterms cycle. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Tele pani, like the on that lobbied agast Sohn’s nomatn, are the only group that benefs om a dysfunctnal FCC. Whout a full slate of missners, the pani don’t need to fear tougher regulatns or strict enforcement actns over failur to meet the regulatns that are already place.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">In Sohn’s last nfirmatn hearg this past Febary, Nevada Democrat Sen. Jacky Rosen was her biggt holdout. Support om Sen. Kyrsten Sema (D-AZ) was shaky. “The third hearg was a disaster. And was pretty clear at that juncture that the 2024s were not gog to support me and a lot of Democrats didn’t even show up,” Sohn said.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Even if Sohn’s nomatn ma out of mtee, ’s unclear whether other Democrats like Sen. Cathere Cortez Masto (D-NV) would have voted for her. Pro-police groups like the Fraternal Orr of Police had ramped up attacks on her nfirmatn. To vulnerable Democrats, not angerg groups like the was more important than phg through her nomatn, Sohn said.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">“The level of attentn and the untths and the smear mpaigns that Gigi was on the receivg end of sh a light on rporate greed and the importance of a fully functng FCC for muni of lor and for acuntabily,” Tucker said.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent clear-both block w-full md:ml-[-100px] md:w-outnt"><div class="my-9"><div class="transn-all duratn-300 ease--out"><div class="fixed set-0 h-[110vh] w-full bg-whe transn-all duratn-300 ease--out z-[-1] cursor-flt opacy-0"></div><div role="button" aria-label="Zoom" tabx="0" class="visible z-30 w-full orig-center transn-all duratn-300 ease--out cursor-zoom-"><figure class="transn-all duratn-300 ease--out lg:mx-0"><div><div class="duet--media--ntent-warng relative" style="paddg-top:66.66666666666666%"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:block;overflow:hidn;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0"><img alt="Gigi Sohn at a nference table agast an office wdow" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" dg="async" data-nimg="fill" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver"/><noscript><img alt="Gigi Sohn at a nference table agast an office wdow" loadg="lazy" dg="async" data-nimg="fill" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver" siz="(max-width: 1023px) 100vw, 744px" srcSet="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 376w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 384w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 415w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 480w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 540w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 640w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 750w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 828w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1080w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1200w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1440w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1920w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2048w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2400w" src="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/"/></noscript></span></div></div></figure></div><div class="z-1 w-full hidn"><figure class="transn-all duratn-300 ease--out lg:mx-0"><div><div class="duet--media--ntent-warng relative" style="paddg-top:66.66666666666666%"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:block;overflow:hidn;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0"><img alt="Gigi Sohn at a nference table agast an office wdow" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" dg="async" data-nimg="fill" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver"/><noscript><img alt="Gigi Sohn at a nference table agast an office wdow" loadg="lazy" dg="async" data-nimg="fill" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-f:ver" siz="(max-width: 1023px) 100vw, 744px" srcSet="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 376w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 384w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 415w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 480w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 540w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 640w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 750w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 828w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1080w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1200w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1440w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 1920w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2048w, (1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/ 2400w" src="(1020x680:1021x681):format(webp)/"/></noscript></span></div></div></figure></div></div></div></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup mb-20 font-fkroman text-22 leadg-150 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe first-letter:float-left first-letter:mr-18 first-letter:font-polysans-mono first-letter:text-[117px] first-letter:font-medium first-letter:leadg-[.72] dark:first-letter:text-ankl">On March 22nd, I met Sohn at Geetown Universy to take portras for this profile. She was filled wh energy, havg already picked out some lotns wh the help of Lra Moy, director of Geetown Law’s Communitns & Technology Law Clic. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">“It’s been two weeks, right?” Sohn tells me, sg at the mera. “Basilly, my therapist says I’m a perd of mourng now. So I’m jt takg slow.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Characteristilly, that slow perd didn’t last very long. By May 3rd, Sohn had accepted a new role as the executive director for the Amerin Associatn for Public Broadband, an anizatn that advot for the ployment and adoptn of muny-owned broadband works. Ls than a month later, she was Kansas Cy, Missouri, workg for the Benton Instute on siar issu and meetg wh lol broadband lears. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">“I would have loved to take six months to ci what I want to do next, but I don’t have that luxury,” Sohn said. “I need at least two months to rever, which I took. I probably need more time, but you know, mama’s got to brg home a paycheck, right?”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">Meanwhile, Bin and Congrs have moved on.<strong> </strong>In May, Bin nomated <a href="/2023/5/24/23735094/fcc-adlock--ntraly-tele-bin-nomatn-anna-gomez">veteran tele lawyer Anna Gomez</a> to replace Sohn. Gomez has spent the majory of her reer workg ernment, so ’s more difficult to parse where exactly she stands on the ntroversial issu that likely played a role skg Sohn’s nfirmatn. Instead of the FCC spearheadg the admistratn’s major broadband expansn project, the Natnal Telemunitns and Informatn Admistratn is dolg out many of the rourc to stat. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe">But the state of US broadband and ntraly remas uncerta. Gomez received a far warmer wele than Sohn her first nfirmatn hearg June, but anythg n happen between now and a vote to swg Congrs’ opn agast her. Congrs has already proved s aptns at layg nfirmatns. Whout an FCC majory, other feral agenci have started to take on the agency’s role broadband expansn. But whout five missners, ’s impossible to ensure rriers are keepg their promis. </p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-ponent"><p class="duet--article--dangeroly-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph mb-20 font-fkroman text-18 leadg-160 -trackg-1 selectn:bg-ankl-20 dark:text-whe dark:selectn:bg-blurple [&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-ankl dark:[&_a:hover]:shadow-highlight-blurple [&_a]:shadow-unrle-black dark:[&_a]:shadow-unrle-whe after:absolute after:ml-8 after:mt-2 after:ntent-[url(/ins/)]">“I and many others really saw the ter as the future and the future of mocratic munitns,” Sohn said. “For all s warts, has bee that.”</p></div></div><div class="mb-40 mt-30"><button class="duet--article--ments-button group le-flex h-40 w-full ems-center jtify-center round-[2px] borr-[1px] borr-solid borr-blurple font-polysans-mono text-11 font-light upperse trackg-12 text-blurple hover:bg-blurple hover:text-whe md:w-to md:px-30"><svg class="mr-10 le pt-2" width="12" height="14" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 12 12" stroke-width="1px" xmlns="><tle>Comments.