Foundation removes itself from Free Press net neutrality letter

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF) wrote to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday to remove itself from a letter issued by Free Press and 150 nonprofit groups in support of net neutrality.

The letter, announced Tuesday in a press release, was signed by Color of Change, Common Cause, Free Press, the National Organization for Women and NTEN: Nonprofit Technology Network, among others. It supported a plan floated by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski to boost the agency's authority over broadband access providers to better support net neutrality rules.

But JDRF asked to be taken off the list on Wednesday in a letter to the FCC. Bill Ahearn, vice president of communications, said the group was mistakenly added to the list despite that "we don't take public stances on issues whether they're political or social unless they're directly impacting research for Type 1 diabetes." He said an employee signed the letter and that Free Press understood it as representing the entire organization.

Free Press raised questions about whether the foundation was pushed to take itself off the letter. "It would be very interesting to know if they were pressured," said Liz Rose, a Free Press spokesperson.