Contact: Harold Feld
202-861-0020 (office)
hfeld@publicknowledge.org
Today, Federal Communications Commissioner Michael Copps participated in his last formal Commission meeting. Commissioner Copps will formally step down on January 1, 2012, unless his replacement, Jessica Rosenworcel, is confirmed before then.
The following statement may be attributed to Harold Feld, Legal Director, Public Knowledge.
“The heartfelt expressions of congratulations and respect given Michael Copps today by his fellow Commissioners on the occasion of his last public meeting should be echoed by all Americans. Though only a handful of Americans has heard of Commissioner Copps, he has worked tirelessly for ten years on behalf of all Americans, whether they knew it or not.
“We hear a lot these days from cynics about how Washington inevitably corrupts even those with the best intentions, about how no one can hope to make a difference anymore. Those cynics never met Michael Copps. In his ten years of service, Commissioner Copps has shown how one man can combine iron principles, a tireless dedication to the public interest, and a mastery of the political ‘art of the possible’ can make a real difference. Anyone watching local news or enjoying the open Internet owes a debt to Commissioner Copps and what he accomplished in his time at the Commission.