Accidental Full Disclosure by the FCC

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"A trade association that represents competitors of the large regional telephone companies" had their lobbying plan "published by mistake on the Federal Communications Commission's Web site." The Association for Local Telecommunication Services's (ALTS) lobbying plan "starkly criticized the policy positions of FCC members and lawmakers and described the need for the association to hire, for $120,000 a year, a 'heavyweight Republican [lobbyist] that can navigate between the FCC chairman and the White House.'" The plan also said "ALTS has 'helped' with five fundraising events" for Congressional telecommunications policy committee members, but "needed to raise even more money for lawmakers." ALTS's president, who authored the plan, resigned, saying, "I wish that I had been more vigilant, either being more precise or not writing anything at all."