Pai Decries Death Threat by Net Neutrality Supporter

FCC chair Ajit Pai said that criminal charges have been filed against a Syracuse man who allegedly threatened to kill Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.) and his family unless he supported net neutrality.

"Specifically, federal prosecutors allege that the man left a voicemail at Congressman Katko’s office saying, among other things:  ‘[I]f you don’t support net neutrality, I will find you and your family and I will kill . . . you . . . all.  Do you understand?  I will literally find all . . . of . . . you and your progeny and just wipe you from the face of the earth," said Pai, who has been the subject of death threats as well over his plan to roll back Title II classification of ISPs and most of the 2015 Open Internet order rules.

“I condemn in the strongest possible terms any attempts to intimidate government officials with violent threats, and in particular, efforts to target their families," he said. Pai's children have also been named in protests outside Pai's house.

"I would also like to express my sympathy to Congressman Katko and his family and thank law enforcement officials for taking this matter seriously.”

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.