In Defense of Kevin Martin

[Commentary] Worst. Week. Ever. For Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin. On Tuesday, House Commerce Committee Democrats release a scathing report on his management of the agency and House Republicans do little to defend him. On Wednesday, the Bush Administration objects to Martin's free wireless broadband plan (via new spectrum auction rules). Finally, on Thursday, the Wall Street Journal, normally the Administration's in-house editorial page, piled on with an editorial attacking Martin for granting "Political Favors at the FCC" on the same issue. Heaven forbid there should be a free service that could benefit minorities or rural residents who are the most disadvantaged when it comes to receiving broadband service. Could there be a case in which markets don't work as they should? Perhaps by reading the newspaper we could find one. The Journal's editorial was about chasing evil villains out to corrupt the system. In this case, said evil-doer is the venture capitalist John Doerr who, if you think about it, is the type of person the Journal should admire. He made a lot of money the old-fashioned way, through capitalism. In this instance, the Journal sees Doerr as trying again for a "sweetheart deal" that Martin is willing to give him.