Ajit Pai

The current chair, said one critic, "will go down in history as one of the most corrupt government officials of the century."

Former telecom lawyer Nathan Simington, a Republican, was tapped by the president after an incumbent balked at a plan to weaken online protections granted under a key law. 

"This remand order callously dismisses the valid concerns of public-safety officials, competitive broadband providers, and millions of disconnected low-income families who can't afford to get online."

"Journalists wanted to get to the bottom of this mess. The FCC told them go away. But a court just told the FCC to stop hiding from the press."

"Expect prices to rise and service to suffer," warned Public Citizen.

"The good news is that attorneys general from more than a dozen states and the District of Columbia have joined a lawsuit to block the merger."

"Big Cable's lobbyists will use this as an excuse to swarm Washington, D.C. The internet must come together once more to beat back corruption and defend our online freedom."

"The FCC must now do the job it's long refused to do: properly weigh all of the evidence showing the impact of media consolidation on local communities."

"If net neutrality is not restored, the public will lose the ability to access sites, run small businesses, and tell the stories too often ignored by the mainstream media."

"The deal will result in higher prices for all consumers, and worse phone service—especially for rural Americans."