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LightSquared Majority Shareholder Philip Falcone addresses accusations the wireless firm may have gotten preferential treatment by the White House.
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We raised the cylinder comparisons that you.
Suddenly had favored status within the administration either through campaign donations or closeness you and others had with the president and the White House.
That you -- sort of the -- line.
Well I would totally dispute that because.
The the the when the FCC.
-- mine acquiring the company they mandated us to build out.
The most aggressive.
Build out in the telecommunications.
History never know whether students.
There were no others doing so why is AT&T and some of these other big providers.
Consumer costs or consumer prices and we're gonna give the consumer.
A choice which is quite frankly what we need but yet we're being prevented from doing.
All right so that would by definition mean that all these others in the spectrum.
-- -- I guess presumably -- dominates this business.
-- part of -- to borrow against him.
Well we've heard things that there are a number of the incumbents.
That are would rather not see us operate and I think.
It's a function of us being an alternative -- being an alternative not only for the consumer but for.
Various businesses and I want to get you know and guys are gonna go -- with this but here's what I don't understand looking at this.
People are saying it just doesn't pass the smell test -- that you personally -- that.
Moving as fast as it did.
Moving despite the concerns of others in the industry it might be dinosaurs weren't get with the program -- realizing that did change -- AT&T or others.
Not sensing that you -- gonna be -- force.
But that you were in your company.
And as a result you as an investor regretted favors that they would never work.
-- I don't know where where -- these allegations are coming from.
We've been working on this for years this is not just something that popped up and we went to the FCC.
You -- year's tree Obama.
Pre Obama I started investing in the company in 2006.
I believe 2005 and 2006.
So those opposed say no they resorted into the politics thing is it just a Republican I'm not trying to cast aspersions at but -- The -- laws that you saw.
In candidate -- -- and related -- Obama.
Hum.
A guy would be friendly to your message.
You know expanding the spectrum and alternative to -- step established players in that spectrum.
And that you followed his campaign contributors to his campaign.
Contributed to the effort maintain close ties with the administration officials because it would be a great -- Did not maintain close ties with the administration.
Never donated to the campaign.
You never did or do you know of other parties that the company and it I have no idea I don't I don't.
Discuss politics of the company I can -- never comes up with the Blair's long now it does because it's because such a political issue because that's what people are gonna draw the it's a fact of the right I mean it is it is completely false I mean for me to think that.
I'm trying to build out a now business in a network to think -- nominee get favors from the president.
Is is crazy others have in and you know -- Sergey and I'm not prior administrations and others.
They all have industries that -- builds some of -- prior administration was friendly with -- the administration before that was friendly with health care so it is fair to say.
And every administration has its corporate finance while I'm don't I -- I never looked that it is being a corporate friend the administration night I think I was.
Looking at it is.
The president is open to.
Or is part of his plan was a national broadband plan and then they turned it -- field right -- I don't know its insides either way because I'm I'm not never sent him.
Then there was fear factor came into -- -- and if they are getting interfere with the GPS systems that we -- or worse yet.
Cause planes to crash and then forget about whatever politically things they might have -- of which is of open to debate.
They're just dangerous parent yeah what instead of theirs again I think there's a tremendous amount of misinformation.
There's there's a -- a lot of nuances to the spectrum that -- Would love to go into at a different time right now's not the appropriate time but this is not a threat to that this is not a threat in and if we're going to -- planes if there is an interference issue we already have the fix and it's gonna be discussed later on this and the -- have the fix it it again heavily -- -- -- -- to keep.
Drilling on this.
The rapid can see is that everyone else has to do the facts.
For you.
Now word create we're designing we've already designed the filters were working with.
Third party and -- patty hello I think a lot of talk that we're turning the world upside down.
With -- fix that is something.
They don't have to do if you wanted to route.
Well.
You know again there is.
There's certain things that have to be done there's always interference in every.
In in all spectrum and it's in come in on the participants.
Both those who want to utilize that spectrum and others who may be using.
That's back from.
Without a license its incumbent upon people to work together and that's really what we're trying to do but we continue to get stonewalled.
This is great this is this project.
Is a massive project it's great for the economy.
It's great for the consumer.
Than just -- part of that could be a lot of money to the government and regardless it's a it's a it's it's lucrative it's not for Clinton but so if this spectrum and auctioning off warmed warned that.
We're very lucrative for the government that they that that is correct however.
-- you have to think about.
The issues that we're having this -- with this spectrum.
-- if this doesn't get cleared up there could be issues for.
Other orders down the road and -- anyone trying to do anyone trying to do they they tried to encourage private investment hence my getting involved it's five years ago.
If if this doesn't get cleared up and I'm confident that.
That rational minds will will will will allow it to get cleared up.
But it could have effects on future options and other telecommunications.
Issues that we're dealing with them do you think though.
This is just mark what if only if the whole -- thing about come up.
This would need to be an issue.
I don't think so I think it would still be an issue because I think there's certain.
And cities in the in the marketplace today again I would rather not -- operate and would -- -- do you think that general.
If He did pullback but was told to curtail -- I'm with these things that.
I -- again I was in party to those conversations and I think I do believe -- I understand that.
That He categorically denied being pressured to change -- testimony in fact both the White House and He came out with a press release so.
I don't know where that came from I don't know why it came up I don't know what the issues are but would you invest all over again -- your druthers.
Absolutely I think this is gonna work it's a very valuable asset.
It is a lot more challenging than I expected but amount was up for the challenge and we've just got to find a way to get it done and we're gonna get them.
