Group Supporting Net Neutrality Targets U.S. Rep. Greg Walden With Medford Billboard

The Federal Communications Commission is considering allowing internet service providers to charge more and control access to the web.

As of today, drivers in Medford will see a new billboard slamming U.S. Greg Walden for his position on net neutrality. (The billboard is located at North Pacific Highway at Elm Avenue.)

As the Federal Communications Commission considers whether to end neutrality—the policy that the internet should be open, free and fast and not controlled by the big service providers such as Comcast or AT&T—a group called Fight for the Future has paid for billboards targeting three members of Congress, including Walden.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, a Trump appointee, has pushed for an end to net neutrality, saying that doing so would spur investment.

Fight for the Future spokeswoman Evan Greer says her group is targeting Walden, the chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, because he has spoken favorably about the plan to end net neutrality.

Before entering Congress, Walden owned a radio station in Hood River and has long drawn strong financial support from telecommunications companies. In July, he invited the CEO's of major tech companies to his committee to testify on net neutrality, a move that Democrats panned.

Activists are hoping to rally support to preserve neutrality.

"Every member of Congress should take note: supporting the FCC's plan to allow censorship, throttling, and price gouging may get you a few extra campaign donations from big telecom companies, but it will infuriate your constituents, and will come with a serious political cost," Greer said in a statement.

The FCC's comment period on Pai's plan has drawn a record 20 million comment and closes Aug. 30.

The other two members targeted by the bill boards are Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-Wash.) and Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio).

Walden's spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

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