Civil Rights Groups Demand Senate Commerce Committee Ensure Balanced FCC

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and its Media/Telecommunications Task Force co-chairs, UnidosUS and United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry, wrote to the chair and ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee demanding that they delay the confirmation hearing for Olivia Trusty to serve as a Federal Communications Commissioner until the administration provides a binding commitment that it will keep the FCC fully staffed with five commissioners, two of whom must be Democrats. In the letter to Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA), civil rights organizations wrote that President Trump’s firing of the only two Democratic Federal Trade Commissioners in March, which “directly contradict established federal law and Supreme Court precedent” prompts concerns that “FCC Commissioner Gomez will face similar threats upon Olivia Trusty’s confirmation as the third Republican FCC commissioner.” The FCC was established as an independent and bipartisan agency, like the FTC, with the critical mission to ensure universal connectivity, promote diverse voices in our media ecosystem, and protect consumers from fraud. A balanced and fully staffed FCC ensures a fair and effective approach to regulating communications and protecting the American public. However, if the Trump administration were to fire Commissioner Gomez, the integrity, mission, and purpose of the FCC would be compromised. As detailed in the letter, “Any attempt to illegally remove Commissioner Gomez, especially with the recent announcement of Democratic Commissioner Starks’ intention to step down later this spring, would severely undermine the agency’s independence and statutory mission at a time when regulatory oversight of our communications infrastructure is more essential than ever.” “The Senate has a duty to ensure that Commissioner Starks is replaced and that Commissioner Gomez remains at the commission,” the groups concluded.