Bush seen nominating telecom lawyer to FCC: sources (Reuters)

[Up2Late]

(Grrrrrrrrrrr)

Bush seen nominating telecom lawyer to FCC: sources

Mon Jan 23, 2006 01:33 PM ET

By Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush is expected to nominate telecommunications lawyer Robert McDowell to fill the third Republican seat on the five-member Federal Communications Commission, three sources familiar with the matter said on Monday.

McDowell serves as senior vice president and assistant general counsel at Comptel, a group representing companies that primarily compete against big telephone carriers like AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications. Bush has already signed off on McDowell's appointment to the agency that regulates and oversees the telecommunications and media industries, according to one source with knowledge of the decision.

If nominated, he would require Senate confirmation. A White House spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment and McDowell was not immediately available for comment.

The FCC has been deadlocked with two Republicans and two Democrats since March 2005, and during a brief period in December the Democrats outnumbered the Republicans because of delays naming replacements to two open seats.

(more at link below)

<http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=10940850&src=rss/domesticNews>

[Triana]

1. Another day, another crony....(n/t)

[Gman]

2. So AT&T, Verizon, SBC, et al cooperate with the NSA

and put their butts on the line legally, then Bush appoints someone to the FCC that is an adversary of these same companies. Not to mention the many million mega-bucks the big telecoms have pumped into the GOP.

No honor whatsoever among thieves.

[EC]

3. Didn't Caryle Group buy

Verizon in like 2004 or so?

On edit: Just in Hawaii, but you can look in their Portfolio to see all they own now at: http://www.thecarlylegroup.com/eng/news/l5-news2858.html

[onenote]

4. this is actually a Ted Stevens pick

Stevens is the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees the FCC. Traditionally, the Commerce Committee chair has a lot of influence over the selection of at least one of the FCC commissioners. The names of a couple of former Stevens staffers were floated for the position, but ran into problems (conflicts, nanny issue, etc). One of those staffers is a senior official at Comptel, which is where McDowell works. It is all but certain that McDowell got the nod based on that connection.

While that might smack of cronyism, unlike Heckuva Job Mikey, McDowell is experienced and knowledgable with respect to telecommunications issues. I expect that because he's a repub, I'm going to have my disagreements with him. But, hey, I have plenty of disagreements with the Democratic FCC Commissioners (who are former staffers for Daschle and Hollings, respectively).

onenote

[On the Road]

5. Comptel is Not Big Telco

They represent the hundreds of small local telcos whose interests are often diametrically opposed to the former Bell companies. I'm actually surprised they would choose a Compel guy.

[HuffleClaw]

6. "If nominated, he would require Senate confirmation"

suuuuuuuure he will. bush'll just do the usual 'recess appointment'

[Charlie Brown]

7. Wonderful. They'll start fining cable, satellite radio

and probably the internet. All in the name of "decency."