Political Organizations

WASHINGTON - For three years, technology and telecommunications companies have watched nervously from the sidelines as the United States and nearly a dozen trading partners have negotiated a trade agreement that critics feared could undermine all sorts of online activities.

WASHINGTON - House Democrats have shelved a last-ditch effort to broker a compromise between phone, cable and Internet companies on rules that would prohibit broadband providers from blocking or degrading online traffic flowing over their networks.

WASHINGTON - Federal regulators are seeking public input on what rules should apply to wireless Internet access and specialized services that aren't part of the Internet but are delivered over wired broadband connections.

WICHITA, Kan. - Republican congressional candidate Mike Pompeo apologized Thursday after his campaign posted on its Twitter feed and Facebook page a link to a blog that uses a racial slur to refer to his Democratic opponent and calls President Barack Obama an "evil muslim communist USURPER." Pompeo, who is running for Kansas' 4th Congressional District, said a staffer, who he declined to identify other than saying it was the campaign's communications director, posted the link to the wrong Google alert on Wednesday before the campaign realized the mistake and removed it an hour later.

WASHINGTON - Phone and cable TV companies that provide Internet access should be barred from slowing down, blocking or charging to prioritize Internet traffic flowing over their regular broadband lines, Verizon Communications Inc.