FCC Commissioner Baker Expected to Leave Post

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Republican Federal Communications Commission commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker is leaving the agency to become Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, NBCUniversal.

Her final day at the FCC will be June 3. Baker will be located in the Comcast/NBCUniversal government affairs office in Washington, DC. She will report to Kyle McSlarrow, and will work closely with Rick Cotton, NBCUniversal’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel, who continues to set strategic policy direction for NBCUniversal.

Baker came to the FCC in 2009 from the Commerce Department, where she was the acting head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for President George Bush. At the NTIA, she oversaw the troubled government coupon program intended to make it cheaper for Americans make the switch to digital-only television. Prior to her government service, Baker served as a telecommunications attorney for various firms. Baker’s move to Comcast comes just four months after she voted to approve Comcast’s $13.75 billion deal to acquire control of NBC Universal from General Electric. Her term at the agency is up in June although she was expected to be re-nominated for the seat. Her departure from the FCC, however, leaves just one Republican on the FCC’s five-person panel. Another commissioner, Democrat Michael Copps, is also set to leave the agency by the end of the year when his term expires or as soon as a replacement is confirmed. Jessica Rosenworcel, the Senate Commerce Committee’s senior communications counsel, is the most often mentioned name to fill Copps’s slot on the commission.

Commissioner Baker, you may recall, objected to FCC attempts to impose conditions on Comcast's purchase of NBC Universal and argued that the "complex and significant transaction" could "bring exciting benefits to consumers that outweigh potential harms." The response of groups like Free Press to her announcement May 11 was expected in its anger, but not without merit. "No wonder the public is so nauseated by business as usual in Washington -- where the complete capture of government by industry barely raises any eyebrows," said Free Press' Craig Aaron. "The continuously revolving door at the FCC continues to erode any prospects for good public policy. We hope -- but won't hold our breath -- that her replacement will be someone who is not just greasing the way for their next industry job."

Update:
The revolving door between government and the lobbyists who seek to influence public policy and legislation on behalf of companies or other organizations was a target of reform by President Obama even before he took office. During the 2008 campaign, he vowed to “close the revolving door” and “clean up both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue” with “the most sweeping ethics reform in history.” Though Baker was appointed to what is considered an independent regulatory agency, she signed the administration’s ethics pledge upon taking office in July 2009. Under the pledge, she will not be allowed to lobby anyone at the FCC for two years after her departure. In addition, Baker will not be able to lobby other political appointees at the FCC, including other commissioners, for the remainder of the Obama administration, including a second term if the president is re-elected. She faces a lifetime ban on lobbying any executive branch agency, including the FCC, on the agreement that Comcast made with the commission as a condition of its approval of the merger with NBC Universal. Baker can lobby members of Congress immediately upon beginning her new job.


FCC Commissioner Baker Expected to Leave Post Press release (Comcast) FCC commissioner to join Comcast/NBC in Washington (The Hill) FCC's Baker to resign, join NBC (Politico) Statement (Commissioner Baker) Statement (Commissioner McDowell) Statement (Commissioner Clyburn) Statement (Commissioner Copps) Statement (Chairman Genachowski) Baker React: She will Be Missed (B&C - reaction) After approving NBC buyout, FCC Commish becomes Comcast lobbyist (ars technica) Baker Stuns With Abrupt Move From FCC to Comcast (National Journal) FCC Commissioner Leaving to Join Comcast (NYTimes) FCC official joins Comcast after backing takeover (FT)