Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Kevin Martin's FCC "Dysfunctional"

A Committee on Energy and Commerce Majority Staff report released today (12/09/2008) details the findings of the Committee’s bipartisan investigation relating to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

“Our investigation confirmed a number of troubling allegations raised by individuals in and outside the FCC,” the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Bart Stupak (D-MI) said. “The Committee staff report details some of the most egregious abuses of power, suppression of information and manipulation of data under Chairman Martin’s leadership. It is my hope that this report will serve as a roadmap for a fair, open and efficient FCC under new leadership in the next administration.”

“Any of these findings, individually, are cause for concern,” said Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. “Together, the findings suggest that, in recent years, the FCC has operated in a dysfunctional manner and Commission business has suffered as a result. It is my hope that the new FCC Chairman will find this report instructive and that it will prove useful in helping the Commission avoid making the same mistakes.”

The report, titled “Deception and Distrust: The Federal Communications Commission Under Chairman Kevin J. Martin,” is the culmination of a bipartisan investigation into the FCC’s regulatory processes and management practices that was formally launched on January 8, 2008.

Read the Report (4.2 Mb pdf) for the full "scoop" or, listen to todays conference call with Chairman Stupak regarding the report and the investigation (audio).

It's also rather interesting to learn that industry trade magazine RCR Wireless News today declared Chairman Martin this year's most influential wireless player.

And you are still wondering why wireless regulation (and other FCC-managed matters) in the U.S. are so......(insert your own descriptive word here).


NR