After ten days with only two members, the Senate on Tuesday confirmed Republican Olivia Trust to the Federal Communication Commission.
This involves the total number of commissioners up to three, ending a brief period in which the FCC did not comply with the quorum threshold for what is usually a panel of five people. During a period of one week in early June, Republican Nathan Simington and Democratic Commissioner Geoffrey Starks resigned from FCC. Trusty was previously personal of Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS).
The Republican President, Brendan Carr, has promoted an unprecedented change in telecommunications policy during his six months at the helm of the FCC. Since 1996, the Commission has generally advanced the goal of faster and cheaper technology through competition. Carr has adopted a decidedly political approach, using the FCC to punish Trump’s enemies and reward their friends.
Carr has opened a CBS research During an “60 -minute” interview with Kamala Harris, Threatened Comcast Dissemination licenses on MSNBC’s political coverage and pressed Verizon’s policies to obtain approval of his Acquisition of Frontier.
“In normal times, there would be few reasons to oppose the confirmation of a candidate as qualified as confidence. But they are not normal times,” said Matt Wood, Vice President of Policy and General Counsel of Free Free Press Action, In a statement.
“Trusty’s confirmation gives Carring a majority that it needs to radically remodel the Trump’s image media sector, including offering political favors to the large broadcasters in exchange for their unmatched faithfulness to the President.”
The biggest immediate question is whether Trusty will vote with Carr on these issues or as a more traditional republican curator.
“I think it is a reliable vote for Car in most issues, but not all problems,” Cnet Blair Levin, former FCC Cabinet Chief and Analyst of the New Street Research Telecommunications Industry.
Trump has not yet selected two candidates to fill the two FCC vacancies, and there is no sign that soon. The FCC rules say that only three commissioners can be from the same political party at any given time.
“I think these two seats are kept vacant for a long time,” said Levin. “I do not see why Trump wants to use any political capital or time of the Senate, certainly not before the budget bill passes. Trump has all the power he needs in the FCC.”
