She had worked with Thomas at the commission and was a close friend.

Officials at the commission said they were surprised by the order.

But every one of their claims was rejected today by the officials at the commission.

The hearing at the federal regulatory commission is expected to continue until next week.

Congressional pressure may have changed the vote count at the commission.

He left politics after the end of his tenure at the commission in January 1995.

Officials at the commission say they believe their plan will not threaten private information providers.

But the effort at the commission to improve access to the network began long before he rose to the chairman's office.

That fight is now expected to take on new vigor at the commission and in Congress.

But she has no one to thank at the commission, she said.