In February, David Casem was reeling from an unexpected government crackdown against his company, a startup that helps its users place calls over the internet. The Federal Communications Commission had accused Telnyx of inadequately vetting customers that had used its service to make scam robocalls targeting the FCC itself.
Normally, a tech executive like Casem would pay or negotiate the proposed fine of nearly $4.5 million and have his business put under a microscope—a major threat for a small startup. But with President Trump in office, Casem decided to fight.
