| Bush appoints telecom lobbyist to fcc { February 4 2006 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0602040085feb04,1,4659621.story?coll=chi-business-hedhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0602040085feb04,1,4659621.story?coll=chi-business-hed
Bush appoints lobbyist to FCC McDowell restores Republican majority
From Tribune news services Published February 4, 2006
WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Friday chose telecommunications lobbyist Robert McDowell to take an open seat at the Federal Communications Commission, a move that would restore the agency's 3-2 Republican majority.
McDowell currently serves as senior vice president and assistant general counsel at Comptel, a trade organization representing phone carriers that compete with the regional Bell companies.
The Senate Commerce Committee would have to endorse the nomination and then the full Senate would have to confirm it. A Senate Commerce Committee spokesman said no date has been set for a confirmation hearing. A Comptel spokeswoman said McDowell declined to comment.
McDowell would give FCC Chairman Kevin Martin a Republican majority at the agency, something he hasn't had since he was elevated to the post last March.
Since then, the normally five-member commission has been split 2-2, though it was briefly operating with only three members in December, when Martin was outnumbered by the two Democrats on the panel. The Democratic majority ended last month when Republican Deborah Tate was sworn in.
"He has a wealth of knowledge in the communications arena, and we will rely on his insight when evaluating the issues before us," Martin said of McDowell. "I look forward to working with a full complement of commissioners."
A third Republican vote would allow Martin to move forward with his agenda and tackle contentious issues, such as a review of media ownership rules.
"After McDowell is confirmed, Chairman Martin is likely to win a relaxation of the media ownership rules," said Paul Gallant, an analyst at Stanford Washington Research Group and a former senior FCC aide.
"If he follows the recent Republican line on government regulation of media, there will be lots of trouble in store for free and diverse expression in America," said Paul Levinson, a communications professor at Fordham University.
McDowell would fill the seat vacated by GOP Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy last year. The term runs until June 2009.
McDowell worked for both Bush presidential campaigns, serving as a lawyer during the 2000 Florida recount and leading advance teams for Bush and his wife, Laura, in 2004. He is Comptel's chief congressional lobbyist. It's unclear how many issues involving companies that McDowell lobbies are before the FCC.
Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune
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