Sen Wyden Warns an All-Republican FCC Could Violate Federal Law and Cause Partisan FCC Actions to be Overturned in Court

Sen Ron Wyden (D-OR) asked Federal Communications Commissioner Anna Gomez to issue a legal opinion addressing whether the Communications Act permits the Federal Communications Commission to legally operate with members from a single political party. He wrote, "As you know, President Trump recently nominated Danielle Thumann Severs to be an FCC Commissioner. If confirmed, she would become the third Republican commissioner on the FCC, with you as the sole Democrat. Because the Communications Act sets a quorum at three members, there is speculation that the President intends to fire you once she is confirmed, attempting to run the agency with an all-Republican 3-0 panel."