FCC Chairman Pai to Lawmakers: Sinclair/Tribune Review Has Been By the Book

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai told House Commerce Committee Democrats that there has been no inappropriate coordination between the Trump White House, Sinclair and the FCC over the Sinclair/Tribune merger -- and that there has been no pattern of preferential treatment shown Sinclair in a deal whose vetting has been by the book and on a timetable common to such transactions, including under other regimes.

The chairman said his meetings with the President—there have been two of them—were on the order of a job interview in one instance and a second meeting after he had the job, and neither of which was any issue involving Sinclair Broadcast Group discussed. He did say he had met with Sinclair three times since the November election, but in only one meeting were pending issues discussed and that one was followed by the requisite ex parte notification. Pai also said two members of his staff had met with Sinclair execs as well, with an ex parte filed for the one meeting for which it was required.