Representative Ed Markey (D-MA), in a speech delivered on the evening of April 9th at the 2011 National Conference for Media Reform in Boston, highlights how, as the government neared a shutdown on Friday, April 8th, the Republicans worked to pass legislation that would "destroy" the world wide web. Referring to AT&T and Verizon, he says he doesn’t need to know what will happen as a result of mergers and consolidation because he fought against communications monopolies in the 1990s.

For more, read the full transcript of Markey’s speech.

—Kevin Gosztola