An FCC meeting concerning a repeal of Net Neutrality rules was interrupted Thursday over security concerns.
FCC chambers were evacuated and sniffer dogs swept the room after Chair Ajit Pai was handed a note.
“I am being advised by security that we are going to have to take a break,” Pai said.
Sniffer dogs currently searching the briefing room at the FCC. Room evacuated moments ago on advice of security, @AjitPaiFCC said.
— Dave Lee (@DaveLeeBBC) December 14, 2017
“On advice of security, we need to take a brief recess,” Chairman Ajit Pai said after he was handed a note at the FCC #NetNeutrality hearing https://t.co/mYmuRlsp4z pic.twitter.com/IKRQvAFG8d
— CNN (@CNN) December 14, 2017
The Daily Caller reports the security concern was a “bomb threat”:
“An advisor to one of the Commissioners told The Daily Caller News Foundation that there was a specific bomb threat. Another senior official in the room said someone called into the office and said a briefcase was set to explode.”
The meeting resumed after the room was cleared, which took “roughly 10 minutes,” according to Business Insider.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai resumes speaking ahead of #NetNeutrality vote after meeting was cleared for security concerns: "If our rules deter the massive infrastructure investment that we need, eventually we'll pay the price in terms of less innovation." https://t.co/5setUrEYRR pic.twitter.com/VmKm8p45TC
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 14, 2017
FCC chairman Ajit Pai says “the consumers and innovators of tomorrow will pay a severe price” if net neutrality isn’t repealed. pic.twitter.com/Q2QpkLpW4o
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) December 14, 2017
As outlined last week, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has been the target of numerous death threats on Twitter over his opposition to net neutrality.
On Thursday the Federal Communications Commission voted to eliminate net neutrality rules, which Chair Pai said severely harms consumers.
