From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.5-pre1 (2020-06-20) on ip-172-31-74-118.ec2.internal X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.8 required=3.0 tests=BAYES_50 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.5-pre1 Date: 18 Dec 92 03:50:53 GMT From: alex@MIMSY.CS.UMD.EDU (Alex Blakemore) Subject: FCC appointee has history of restricting access to govt info Message-ID: <62921@mimsy.umd.edu> List-Id: In light of the recent threads about government (citizen) funded "reusable" software trapped in government (citizen) funded databases with several barriers to using it, I thought some readers of comp.lang.ada would be interested in this post from the Free Software Foundatio n. Alex Blakemore -------------------- [This message is being posted on behalf of the FSF. Please redistribute this to as many appropriate groups as possible] The reasons for objecting to this appointment are, in my own opinion, obvious. If you agree, here's an address to which you can write to voice your objection. Perhaps further appointments of people with similar backgrounds will be avoided if enough people complain. Jock Gill Public Access Email Office of the President-Elect 75300.3115@compuserve.com ------- Start of forwarded message ------- Date: Mon, 7 Dec 92 17:17:16 EST From: US1RMC::"LOVE@vm.temple.edu" "MAIL-11 Daemon" 7-DEC-1992 12:39 Subj: CLINTON NAMES MEAD LOBBYIST TO KEY INFO POST Taxpayer Assets Project Information Policy Note December 7, 1992 SUMMARY * Lobbyist for Information Industry appointed to key Clinton Transition Post * Ronald Plesser named to head transition effort on Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.) * Public Interest Groups register opposition to appointment BACKGROUND On Friday (12/4/92) Communications Daily reported information industry lobbyist Ronald Plesser has been appointed to a key Clinton/Gore transition post involving federal information policy. According to the friday CD article, attorney Ronald Plesser will head the Clinton transition efforts on communications issues, as part of a Science and Technology group headed by former astronaut Sally Ride. According to officials at Plesser's law office and the Clinton Transition office Plesser has been appointed as a Deputy Director of the Science and Technology group, in charge of the Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.). Plesser has close ties to a wide range of commercial data vendors and other information industry clients. He is considered a key architect of Reagan Administration efforts to privatize the dissemination of government information, through: a) restrictions on individual access to federal databases and information systems, b) restrictions on the types of "value added" services that agencies can use to enhance public access to federal information, and c) restrictions on the types of electronic information products and services that are distributed to the federal depository library program. Plesser has also spearheaded efforts to weaken privacy laws. Plesser's clients include: - Information Industry Association (IIA). Plesser is legislative counsel for (IIA), a trade group representing commercial data vendors, telephone companies, and cable television companies. - Direct Marketing Association (DMA). Plesser represents DMA on a wide range of issues relating to privacy. - Mead Data Central. Plesser is a lobbyist for Mead (owners of LEXIS/NEXIS and contractor for the ill conceived SEC EDGAR system) on a wide range of topics, including the issues relating to public access to government information and the development of national telecommunications infrastructure, including the implementation of the recently funded National Research and Education Network (NREN). - Knight Ridder. Plesser is a lobbyist for TRANSAX, a vendor of government tariff information. In 1989 Plesser used his close ties to the House Subcommittee on Government Information to block efforts by the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to allow shippers to have access to the FMC's new Automated Tariff Filing Information (ATFI) system. (John Markoff, "Giving Public U.S. Data: Private Purveyors say No," 3/4/89, NYT, Government Publications Review, Vol. 19, 1992, pp 400-403). Plesser's appointment to shape F.C.C. policy was greeted by surprise and alarm by a wide range of citizen and library groups who have locked horns with Plesser on the past on issues ranging from public access to government information to privacy. In an article in monday's Communications Daily, written by reporter Art Brodsky (202/872-9202, ext. 252), James Love, Director of the Taxpayer Assets Project, Marc Rotenberg, Washington Director of Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, and Jeff Chester, Director of the Coalition for Media Education, registered strong opposition to the appointment. Rotenberg said Plesser was far out of the mainstream of opinion on information policy issues. Before launching a highly successful lobbying career, Plesser ran Ralph Nader's Freedom of Information Clearing House. In recent years he helped raise corporate funding for the ACLU's "Information Technology Project" from large information industry companies. In 1991 the ACLU's project was transferred, staff and funding intact, to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). This project reportedly has focused on issues relating to the development of new telecommunication infrastructure, including but not limited to NREN. ============================================================== James Love, Director voice 215/658-0880 Taxpayer Assets Project fax call 12 Church Road internet love@essential.org Ardmore, PA 19003 ============================================================== ------- End of forwarded message ------- -- --------------------------------------------------- Alex Blakemore alex@cs.umd.edu NeXT mail accepted