[CCWG-ACCT] Cruz / NTIA: Time to Get Expert Advice

[Avri Doria]

+1

On 28-Sep-15 22:35, Steve DelBianco wrote:
> Ed — An excellent idea.  In fact, Cam Kerry and Rick Boucher could
> advise CCWG via email right away.  Their insights could help us plan
> what we do in the days leading to Dublin.
>
> From: <accountability-cross-community-bounces at icann.org
> <mailto:accountability-cross-community-bounces at icann.org>> on behalf
> of Edward Morris
> Reply-To: "egmorris1 at toast.net <mailto:egmorris1 at toast.net>"
> Date: Monday, September 28, 2015 at 9:46 PM
> To: Accountability Cross Community
> Subject: [CCWG-ACCT] Cruz / NTIA: Time to Get Expert Advice
>
> Hello everybody,
>  
>  
> Some of the unknowns facing this group going forward are as much
> political in nature as they are substantive or procedural. Do we take
> the opinion and perspective of Senator Ted Cruz seriously? Is it a
> threat to the transition? Is there something that we can do to be
> responsive to the genuine concerns of Senator Cruz? Are his concerns
> genuine?
>  
> What about the NTIA? The deference shown to Secretary Strickling among
> some of us here is almost Papal in nature. What did Larry say, how did
> Larry say it, what did he really mean when he said it but really
> didn't say it. It's a bit ridiculous. I admire Secretary Strickling.
> He's a fine civil servant. His published salary, though, is less than
> that of a first year associate from a decent law school at a mid sized
> corporate law firm. He is not the all mighty. Commerce and the NTIA
> are complex places. Larry has absolute control of neither.
>  
> I've read here today a legal analysis of the Senator's Constitutional
> challenge by someone I know to be neither an American nor a lawyer. I
> can click both boxes and I have my views but am I sure I'm right? No.
> It seems everyone here has an opinion as to what the NTIA will or will
> not accept from us. Do any of us really know? No.
>  
> Prior to the Los Angeles meeting it was suggested that we might want
> to hear from ICANN's lobbyists, that they could explain to us their
> version of political reality. We properly rejected that offer. I think
> we've reached the point, though, where we do need to call upon the
> expertise of some Washington political professionals to help guide us
> through this part of the process. No more guesswork by amateurs or
>  implied threats by those with some self-interest in the matter. We're
> talking about who is going to run a vital part of the most powerful
> communications technology in human history. We need to do this
> right. Fortunately, we've already retained two such individuals who,
> if we wish, have the expertise and ability to assist us in this area.
>  
> Back in the early days of this project when we were all young,
> innocent and hopeful :)  we retained not one but two law firms to help
> guide us. In retrospect that decision and two firms we chose to
> hire were amongst the best decisions we've made in this CCWG. I have
> complete faith in our lawyers and that is a rarity for me. I
> note  that one of the specific reasons we hired Sidley was for their
> Washington ties and expertise. During our interviews with the firm we
> were able to meet two of their professionals with the greatest
> knowledge of DC and government operations : Cam Kerry (
> http://www.sidley.com/people/cameron-f-kerry
> <http://www.sidley.com/people/cameron-f-kerry>)  and Rick Boucher
> ( http://www.sidley.com/people/rick-boucher ). Both men were extremely
> impressive.  It is time to tap their talents. We need serious advice
> in these areas from serious professionals.
>  
> I would respectfully ask our Chairs and the full CCWG to consider
> inviting either Rick or Cam to Dublin to meet with the CCWG early in
> the week, preferably during the initial F2F. I think it's important
> that everyone has a chance to question them. We need this type of
> policy expertise from a politically  astute professional who owes a
> duty of care  to us, no one else, and whose rolodex allows him or her
> to reach out to those whose decisions will most impact our work.
> We need to know what political reality is if we are to maximise our
> potential as a very special and unique group dedicated to helping
> create a truly open and accountable governance mechanism for this
> small part of the networked world.
>  
> Thanks for considering.
>  
> Best,
>  
> Ed Morris 
>
>
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