Anthony Brindisi Promised to Hold Spectrum Cable
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Anthony Brindisi promised to hold Spectrum Cable accountable, but since he was elected, Spectrum Cable has announced thirteen separate rate increases and customers have suffered outages. Records show Brindisi took over $360,000 in campaign cash from groups backed by Spectrum Cable's corporate PAC. Brindisi wrote an op-ed titled, “Spectrum Must be Held Accountable.” “So, today, I am all but shouting-out my plan to hold Spectrum accountable in upcoming federal budget negotiations, where I will work to insert language Spectrum will have to fight like a dog to remove.” (Anthony Brindisi, op-ed, “GUEST VIEW: Spectrum must be held accountable,” Utica Observer Dispatch, 11/12/19) Since Brindisi was elected to Congress in 2019, Spectrum has announced 13 rate increases: Anthony Brindisi was elected to Congress in November 2018. “Democrat Anthony Brindisi has won the race for New York's 22nd Congressional District, defeating incumbent Republican Claudia Tenney with nearly all absentee ballots tallied. Results from absentee votes Tuesday afternoon gave Brindisi a lead too large for Tenney to overcome. The race was too close to call on election day two weeks ago.” (Chris Baker, “It's over: Anthony Brindisi defeats Claudia Tenney in 22nd Congressional race,” Syracuse.com, 11/30/18) Anthony Brindisi was sworn into Congress in January 2019. “Congressman Anthony Brindisi was sworn into office Jan. 3, marking his first term representing New York's 22nd Congressional District.” (Staff, “Congressman Anthony Brindisi sworn into office,” Oneida Dispatch, 1/5/19) In March 2019, Spectrum raised prices on broadcast TV. “Then, not even six months later, Spectrum increased prices again in March 2019. This time the rate increases only affected the broadcast TV fee which went from $9.95/mo. to $11.99/mo.” (Samantha Cossick, “Another Spectrum price increase? Third hike in 12 months expected to roll out,” All Connect, 10/28/19) In October 2019, Spectrum announced seven more price increases, effecting digital adapters; standard internet without wifi; standard internet with wifi; broadcast TV; TV Select; TV Silver and TV Gold. “Now, less than 12 months later, Spectrum is raising their prices again.” (Samantha Cossick, “Another Spectrum price increase? Third hike in 12 months expected to roll out,” All Connect, 10/28/19) (Samantha Cossick, “Another Spectrum price increase? Third hike in 12 months expected to roll out,” All Connect, 10/28/19) In April 2020, Spectrum announced it was raising cable internet prices for legacy customers. “Up to 15 percent of Spectrum cable’s internet customers are seeing rate increases this spring as the company phases out the lower prices under the old Time Warner company which they acquired four years ago. Spectrum said they had informed customers in February of the coming change which applied to ‘legacy’ cable packages under Time Warner’s ownership.” (Rick Karlin, “Spectrum raising cable rates for "legacy" customers who had Time Warner,” Times Union, 4/24/20) In July 2020, Spectrum announced four rate increases for broadcast TV; TV Select; TV Silver; TV Gold going into effect August 5, 2020. “Charter Spectrum will raise its rates in response to rising programming costs, the company said Friday. The company plans to increase its broadcast TV surcharge from $13.50 to $16.45 per month for cable customers. The surcharge is a regulatory fee levied by cable providers to recoup money paid to local broadcasting companies. Customers using Spectrum’s TV only packages (TV Select, TV Silver and TV Gold) will see their bills increase by $1.50 per month. Customers paying a promotional price for a package will not have the increase impact their bill until after the promotional period is over. There is no price increase for Spectrum Internet, Voice or Mobile plans, and there is no change to the cost of Spectrum TV equipment, the company said. The rates will increase in the billing cycle starting Aug. 5.” (Sarah Taddao, “UPDATED: Spectrum rates for cable customers to increase,” Utica Observer Dispatch, 7/21/20) A winter storm caused a Spectrum outage in February 2020. “Spectrum customers may be eligible for a refund after a winter storm took down fiber cables across the Northeast last week, knocking out cable and internet service to more than 2 million customers. Customers in New York, New Hampshire and Maine were affected, according to the company.” (Sarah Taddeo, “Spectrum may offer refunds after Northeast storm outage,” Democrat and Chronicle, 2/11/20) Editor’s Note: An archive of Spectrum outages is available here. As of July 30, 2020, Brindisi has taken at least $368,900 from PACs backed by Spectrum’s corporate PAC. Editor’s Note: Spectrum is the name under which Charter Communications operates in NY. PAC Amount PAC Amount PAC Received from Gave to Brindisi Charter (Cong. & Victory Communications Funds) Across the Aisle PAC $2,500 $7,500 AmeriPAC $24,000 $25,000 Anthony Brown for Congress $4,500 $1,000 Article 1 Political Action Committee $2,500 $2,000 Blue Dog PAC $16,000 $22,500 Brian Higgins for Congress $2,000 $7,000 BRIDGE PAC $30,000 $12,500 Bridge the Gap PAC $1,000 $4,000 Build America PAC $15,000 $4,000 Castor for Congress $7,500 $1,000 CHC BOLD PAC $31,000 $1,000 Cicilline Committee $2,500 $3,000 Congressional Black Caucus PAC $25,000 $3,500 Cummings for Congress Campaign Committee $1,000 $1,000 DelBene for Congress $3,500 $2,000 DREAM PAC $5,000 $8,200 ELEPAC $2,500 $1,000 Engel for Congress $7,000 $2,000 Friends of Cheri Bustos $2,500 $2,000 Friends of Jim Clyburn $16,000 $3,000 HECK PAC $5,000 $5,000 Himes for Congress $31,000 $4,000 Hoyer for Congress $15,000 $13,000 Impact $21,500 $10,000 Jamie Raskin for Congress $1,000 $5,000 JEFF PAC $2,500 $17,700 Jeffries for Congress $12,500 $16,000 Jersey Values PAC $5,000 $7,000 Jimmy Panetta for Congress $3,000 $2,000 JIM PAC $10,000 $13,500 JOE PAC $5,000 $13,000 Judy Chu for Congress $16,000 $2,000 Julia Brownley for Congress $1,000 $4,000 Katherine Clark for Congress $4,000 $3,000 Kuster for Congress, Inc $7,500 $1,000 Loebsack for Congress $11,000 $1,000 Lofgren for Congress $5,500 $4,000 Lou Correa for Congress $3,500 $1,000 Maloney for Congress $1,000 $1,000 Marc Veasey Congressional Campaign Committee $25,000 $500 Mark Takano for Congress $6,000 $1,000 McNerney for Congress $21,000 $1,000 Motor City PAC $25,000 $1,000 Nadler for Congress $11,000 $4,000 Nancy Pelosi for Congress $3,500 $4,000 New Democrat Coalition PAC $30,000 $22,500 Paul Tonko for Congress $11,500 $6,000 People for Ben $7,500 $3,000 People for Derek Kilmer $3,500 $2,000 Pete Aguilar for Congress $6,000 $7,000 Re-Elect McGovern Committee $1,000 $1,000 RICE PAC $3,000 $9,000 Richard E Neal for Congress Committee $1,500 $4,000 SAC PAC $13,500 $1,000 Schiff for Congress $9,500 $6,000 Schneider for Congress $1,000 $2,000 Scott for Congress $1,000 $1,000 Scott Peters for Congress $18,000 $2,000 SHORE PAC $22,000 $10,500 SHP PAC $5,000 $3,000 Ted Deutch for Congress Committee $1,000 $1,000 Ted Lieu for Congress $6,500 $2,000 Three Rivers PAC $5,000 $15,000 Tim Ryan for Congress $5,000 $2,000 Tom O’Halleran for Congress $8,500 $2,000 Turquoise PAC $5,000 $10,000 Veronica Escobar for Congress $3,500 $1,000 Vicente Gonzales for Congress $10,000 $5,000 Wolverine PAC $5,000 $2,000 Yarmuth for Congress $8,500 $1,000 Total Contributions to Brindisi: $368,900 .