Ann Ravel, the Democratic vice-chairwoman of the Federal Election Commission, got an invitation to the White House in January, according to a visitor log
reported by the Washington Examiner.
Ravel's work included an effort to regulate online political content such as the Drudge Report, according to the Examiner. The White House sent out a statement announcing the visit, which said, "The president is pleased with Commissioner Ravel's performance as commissioner."
The Daily Beast reported that Ravel received death threats after she proposed regulations for the internet.
"A re-examination of the Commission's approach to the Internet and other emerging technologies is long overdue,"
Ravel said in an FEC document.
Her call to regulate was reported on the political site Drudge Report, which led to threats such as, "Go fall down about ten flights of stairs," according to the Daily Beast report.
Lee E. Goodman, chairman of the FEC and a Republican, issued a warning in 2014 that "there are impulses in the government every day to second guess and look into the editorial decisions of conservative publishers,"
according to an Examiner report.
Ravel's comments have included calling her colleagues "dysfunctional" for refusing to regulate online content.
The Daily Beast noted that Ravel had suggested that all the current members of the Federal Election Commission should quit so that the commission can be split by party and avoid stalemates. Current commission rules require an equal split of the panel, with three Republicans and three Democrats.
Ravel has said she does not plan on leaving the commission soon.
"I will stay as long as I feel I can contribute," she said in the Examiner report.
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