Pai Declines NRA Musket for Winning Courage Under Fire Award, Cites Ethics Counsel Advice
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai turned down a National Rifle Association musket for winning its Charlton Heston Courage Under Fire Award, Politico reported Thursday, citing a commission source who read from Pai letters sent to the NRA and the American Conservative…
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Union. An FCC spokesman said Friday he couldn't release the letters now, but confirmed the details of the report. Pai was "surprised" by the award announced at ACU's Conservative Political Action Conference Feb. 23 (see 1802230037), said the report, and his staff asked that the handmade long gun not be presented to him until vetted by career ethics attorneys at the FCC Office of General Counsel. Pai's letter said he had to "respectfully decline the award" on the advice of counsel, and noted he had also been advised he won't be able to accept the award upon leaving government, the report said. Pai was criticized by some parties for not quickly turning down the award, including by Walter Shaub, Campaign Legal Center ethics senior director and former U.S. Office of Government Ethics director (see 1802270035). The NRA and ACU didn't pass along the letters.