Federal Communications Chairman (FCC) Ajit Pai declined a National Riffle Association courage award and the handmade long gun that goes with it over ethics concerns, Politico reports.
The NRA announced last week at CPAC that Pai was this year's recipient of the Charlton Heston Courage Under Fire Award for his controversial decision to repeal net neutrality rules. Pai faced a lot of backlash over the decision, including death threats.
With the award came a handmade Kentucky long gun, which the gun lobby said it would keep at its Virginia museum until Pai could pick it up, Politico reports.
However, Pai on Thursday sent a letter to the NRA and the Conservative Union saying he could not accept the award or the gun, not even after someday leaving the FCC, Politico reports.
"As you know, once my staff became aware of what was happening, they asked backstage that the musket not be presented to me to ensure that this could be first discussed with and vetted by career ethics attorneys in the FCC's Office of General Counsel," Pai wrote, Politico reports.
"Therefore, upon their counsel, I must respectfully decline the award," Pai wrote. "I have also been advised by the FCC's career ethics attorneys that I would not be able to accept the award upon my departure from government service."
An ethics expert confirmed to Politico that FCC officials are prevented from accepting awards worth more than $200 without written clearance from agency ethics officials.
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