At CPAC, NRA surprises FCC Chairman Ajit Pai with gun award for “courage under fire” in ending net neutrality

CPAC organizer: “Ajit Pai, as you probably already know, saved the internet” 

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

From the American Conservative Union's 2018 Conservative Political Action Conference: 

DAN SCHNEIDER (ACU): So Ajit Pai, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, thought he was going to deliver a speech today. Ajit Pai, as you probably already know, saved the internet. And he spent a lot of hours preparing a wonderful speech that he’s not going to deliver now. The Federal Communications Commission is a bipartisan board, and Ajit Pai got appointed to it by none other than President Barack Obama because the Senate Republicans insisted that Ajit Pai be put on there. Chairman Pai, then a commissioner, then fought to preserve your free speech rights. The whole time during that Obama administration, he fought and won against all odds. But the Obama administration had some curveballs, and they implemented these regulations to take over the internet. As soon as President Trump came into office, President Trump asked Ajit Pai to liberate the internet and give it back to you. Ajit Pai is the most courageous, heroic person that I know. He has received countless death threats. His property has been invaded by the George Soros crowd. He has a family and his family has been abused in different ways. Chairman Ajit Pai, thank you so much for everything that you’ve done.

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CAROLYN MEADOWS (National Rifle Association): The Charlton Heston Courage Under Fire Award is sponsored by the National Rifle Association in honor of legendary humanitarian, extraordinary actor, and beloved past president of the NRA, Charlton Heston. This award, which is not given every year, only when someone had stood up under pressure with grace and dignity and principled discipline. The awardees have included people like [radio host] Rush Limbaugh, [anti-feminist activist] Phyllis Schlafly, [right-wing activist] Roy Innis, Vice President Mike Pence, and Sheriff David Clarke. And we are honored to have you as part of this distinguished pantheon.

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MEADOWS: Chairman Pai, we were giving you a really great award today. We cannot bring it on stage, but being from the NRA, your gift will be housed in our museum with a plaque to you. When you can receive it, we’ll give it to you. It’s a Kentucky handmade long gun, and you’ll love it.