Well folks, today was something truly special.
FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly sat down with me today through the magic of Squire Patton Boggs’ POWERVision to discuss the TCPA, pending FCC petitions, the big SCOTUS review and so much more.
FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly
For those of you that have never met him, this guy is sharp as a tack and brilliantly articulate on TCPA issues. It is incredible that someone in his position possesses such mastery of the TCPA and it was a remarkable experience to converse about these topics with such a thoughtful and knowledgeable fellow. Plus he confirmed that he watches the podcast and complimented our breakdown of the SCOTUS oral argument a couple weeks back– what an honor!
In the interview–which will be available here on TCPAWorld.com this week–we walk through the FCC’s recent wins on stopping bad robocalls–really remarkable how much this Commission has accomplished in so short a time–but we mostly focus on TCPA reform efforts that have been pending for two years now. The Commissioner does an excellent job responding to my direct and challenging questions–including questions posed by YOU the TCPAWorld faithful.
You’ll want to tune into hear stuff you just won’t get anywhere else. For instance:
- Why is the FCC taking so long to rule on the pending TCPA Public Notice proceeding? I ask him directly and you’re going to appreciate his direct response. Trust me;
- Could progress on stopping unwanted robocalls had been made sooner in his opinion if previous administrations had been more focused on technologyrather than using the TCPA to stop unwanted calls?
- What are Commissioner O’Rielly’s predictions on the big SCOTUS review and does the FCC has a contingency plan in place if the TCPA is struck down? (I was surprised by the response here);
- Did John Oliver actually make robocalls to the FCC and did Oliver’s big robocall hit piece really move the needle at the FCC in Commissioner O’Rielly’s opinion? (You’re going to love this response folks);
- Is the FCC planning to act with respect to default call blocking and the need for a redress mechanism to allow callers a chance to complain when legitimate calls are blocked? (Spoiler Alert: callers are going to be happy here);
- Does Commissioner O’Rielly think the FCC is going to go “pencils down” ahead of the November elections and, if so, when? (another surprising answer on this one);
- Most importantly, what are Comissioner O’Rielly’s views on a few key petitions–including the big ABA COVID19 petition–and what can YOU do to can impact pending TCPA reform efforts ongoing at the FCC.
The last point was really critical: the Commissioner was clear–if TCPAWorld wants action from the FCC it will need to “turn up the temperature” on the FCC and the Chairman’s office. That means getting more involved in pending proceedings and providing FACTS that help put the need for TCPA reform into clear perspective.
This was really an incredible opportunity for Commissioner O’Rielly to share his thoughts directly with the TCPAWorld faithful and we are so pleased that he took the opportunity to join us. And thanks to all of those that provided questions for the Comissioner–he told me that he really appreciated them and found them quite useful and thought provoking.
Keep an eye out for the big interview to drop–aiming to have it out this week!