It's also about public sentiment towards the companies and their interests. Comcast, for example, as a long history of trying to silence its critics[1][2].
They want to make their critics look like a minority or as if they don't exist at all, especially when much of the criticism is grassroots and organic from actual telecom customers who are often stuck with a monopoly's service.
Doesn't seem like it mattered here. Everyone noticed at the time, it didn't matter (because Ajit Pai doesn't care what you think), and there was no harm (because California doesn't care what /he/ thinks.)
Comcast has been losing lately as more places have been repealing their municipal internet utility bans IIRC.
They want to make their critics look like a minority or as if they don't exist at all, especially when much of the criticism is grassroots and organic from actual telecom customers who are often stuck with a monopoly's service.
[1] https://www.salon.com/2008/06/09/comcast_2/
[2] https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/comcast-accu...