Senate Confirmation Confidential: A mooted nominee pairing for the FCC is a bad idea.

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[Commentary] Not all of the government nomination negotiations these days are taking place at Trump Tower in Manhattan. Some are happening in Congress, and one is a potential Senate deal over nominees to the Federal Communications Commission that could leave Democrats in control of one of the most economically destructive agencies in Washington.

We hear Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) are negotiating for an FCC transition in which Chairman Tom Wheeler would leave in January. GOP leaders would then reconfirm two commissioners: Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel, whose five-year term has expired; and Republican Ajit Pai, who is not up until 2017 and is in the mix to be the next chairman. The question is why run the risk of a Democratic majority that could stymie GOP progress for several months? Traditionally chairmen resign from the five-member commission when a new President of the other party is elected. But Chairman Wheeler has shown more than once that his word isn’t worth very much. Even if he isn’t chairman, Chairman Wheeler is free to hang out as a commissioner until his term expires in mid-2017. Our advice is to give up this commissioner confirmation swap and let the normal change of power take place in Washington.


Senate Confirmation Confidential: A mooted nominee pairing for the FCC is a bad idea.