Profiles of the people who make or influence communications policy.
Policymakers
Boris Epshteyn, a former Trump surrogate, now defends him as a Sinclair TV pundit
TV station powerhouse Sinclair Broadcast Group raised a few eyebrows in April when it hired Boris Epshteyn as its chief political analyst. Epshteyn, after all, was a combative TV surrogate for President Trump during the presidential campaign and briefly was a Trump administration press aide, raising an obvious question: How independent would his political analysis be? The answer, judging from Epshteyn’s first few weeks on the job, seems to be not very.
In his initial pieces for Sinclair, the owner of the largest string of TV stations in the nation, Epshteyn has played much the same role he did during the presidential campaign — as a Trump booster and defender. His “Bottom Line With Boris” segments have echoed positions taken by Trump himself, especially the president’s distaste for the news media.
Spicer searching for candidates to take over White House briefing
Apparently, White House press secretary Sean Spicer is leading a search for his own replacement at the briefing room podium as part of a larger plan to shake up the White House communications operations. The week of June 12, Spicer and White House chief of staff Reince Priebus reached out to Fox News personality Laura Ingraham about the role of press secretary and Daily Mail editor David Martosko about the role of communications director, apparently.
Reading the Rosenworcel Tea Leaves
President Donald Trump officially sent to the Senate Jessica Rosenworcel's renomination to be a commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission on June 15. The former Democratic commissioner will reclaim the seat she was forced to leave in January after the Senate failed to confirm her to a new term. Some had privately wondered if Rosenworcel might be in line for Democratic Commissioner Mignon Clyburn's seat, with its full five-year term, but the White House said that Rosenworcel will fill her old seat, a term that runs from July 1, 2015 to June 30,2020.
Philip Verveer, Former FCC Senior Counsel and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Joins Venable's Regulatory Practice in Washington
Venable LLP announced that Philip L. Verveer has joined the firm's Regulatory practice as senior counsel in Washington (DC) where he will focus on antitrust and domestic and international communications law and policy. Most recently, Verveer served in two separate capacities during the Obama Administration, as Senior Counselor to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission from 2013 to 2017 and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and US Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, with ambassadorial rank, from 2009 to 2013. Verveer earned his JD from the University of Chicago Law School and his BSFS from Georgetown University. He also served in the US Army as a captain in military intelligence.
Chairman Pai Honored by Zee TV
Ajit Pai, the first Indian American to chair the Federal Communications Commission, will receive the Zee Entertainment National Leadership Award. That is coming at a Capitol Hill reception July 13. Zee TV produces Hindi programming for a worldwide audience (172 countries). “Chairman Pai’s intellect, objectivity and commitment to the law make him the obvious choice for this inaugural award,” said Sameer Targe, CEO of ZEE TV Americas. While it is the first National Leadership Award, Zee plans to make it an annual event. The award is given to "individuals who have made great strides in promoting excellence in public communications, advancing free market solutions, and encouraging creativity, integrity and growth."
FCC Chairman Pai Picks Stockdale To Lead Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that he intends to appoint Donald Stockdale to serve as chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
Stockdale is an economist and attorney with extensive FCC and private-sector experience. Stockdale will be working closely with Nese Guendelsberger who, having served as acting bureau chief, will continue to help lead the Bureau as senior deputy bureau chief. Meanwhile, Chairman Pai intends to appoint James Schlichting, who currently serves as senior deputy bureau chief in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, to the same position in the International Bureau. Stockdale rejoins the Commission from Bates White Economic Consulting where he has been a partner. Prior to that, he worked on telecom regulatory and antitrust issues as a partner at Mayer Brown LLP. Mr. Stockdale first joined the FCC’s then-Common Carrier Bureau (now the Wireline Competition Bureau) in 1994 as an attorney advisor and later as deputy division chief and associate bureau chief for economics. He later served as director of research in the Office of Policy and Planning and finally as deputy bureau chief and chief economist for the Wireline Competition Bureau until he left the agency in 2011. He earned his doctorate in economics and
law degree from Yale University and bachelors degrees from Cambridge University and Yale.
Meet the New OTI Staff, Summer Interns, and Fellows
The Open Technology Institute team is expanding!
Rachel Adler is an intern working on internet security issues who just finished her junior year at Princeton University. Andres Bascumbe is the program manager of TechCongress. Taliesin Gabriel is working on open internet issues. Jo Johnson is the new operations and communications associate with OTI, after interning with New America's central communications department for the past five months. Michael Lahanas, our summer communications intern, is a rising junior, political science major at Kenyon College, with a strong interest in the intersection of politics and tech. Mia Little is a rising 3L at the Washington College of Law at American University, and she's currently working in OTI as a Google Public Policy Fellow. Andrew Manley, working on open internet issues this summer, is a rising third year law student at the University of Colorado. Amir Nasr is a program associate working on broadband policies including net neutrality, municipal broadband and broadband deployment as well as wireless policy such as increasing the availability of unlicensed spectrum. Paul St. Clair, interning with Wireless Future, is a rising 2L at the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law. Joseph Jai-sung Yoo, Ranking Digital Rights' Annenberg Fellow, is a Ph.D candidate in the School of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin.
Reactions to President Trump's Intent to Nominate Jessica Rosenworcel For FCC Commissioner
On June 13, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Jessica Rosenworcel to serve as a Member of the Federal Communications Commission. Her nomination must still be sent to the Senate and confirmed there, but that is expected to happen without incident.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai: “I congratulate Jessica Rosenworcel on the announcement that President Trump will nominate her to serve another term on the Federal Communications Commission. She has a distinguished record of public service, including the four-and-a-half years we worked together at this agency, and I look forward to working with her once again to advance the public interest.”
FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn: “I congratulate Jessica Rosenworcel on the announcement of the President's intent to nominate her to return as a Commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission. Jessica has been a tireless advocate for bridging the “homework gap,” a leader in the effort to modernize our 9-1-1 call centers, and a champion for freeing up more unlicensed spectrum. I look forward to working with her in the fight for an open internet, affordable broadband and strong consumer privacy protections."
FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly: “I appreciate the president announcing his intent to nominate my friend, former Commissioner Rosenworcel, for a new term at the Commission. If the Senate confirms her nomination, she will bring her expertise, insight and thoughtfulness to communications issues. I look forward to the prospect of returning to work with her on these matters.”
Adrianne Furniss, Benton Foundation Executive Director: “Benton is happy to hear that Jessica Rosenworcel could return to the Federal Communications Commission. As a commissioner, Rosenworcel was a leader on a number of issues. She worked to give new meaning to the FCC’s public safety mandate in the Digital Age. She helped modernize the E-rate program to ensure that all students have access to the latest education tools made possible by fast, affordable broadband. She recognized that those students also need reliable, robust broadband access at home so they can complete school assignments. Rosenworcel’s experience and leadership make her an ideal candidate to help shape the future of telecommunication policy.”
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD): "Sen. [John] Thune is pleased to see Jessica Rosenworcel’s nomination moving forward," said a spokesman for the Senate Commerce Committee. "While the Commerce Committee does not yet have the necessary paperwork to act on her nomination, in deciding how to proceed, the committee will be seeking more information about the status of the administration’s efforts to nominate a qualified candidate for the remaining vacancy at the FCC. The committee also expects Rosenworcel’s nomination will allow stalled bipartisan telecommunications legislation, including the MOBILE NOW Act, to pass the Senate and advance to the House of Representatives."
Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Bill Nelson (D-FL): “Hallelujah, better late than never. The Senate should now move quickly to confirm her and fulfil the promise that was made two years ago.”
Michael Copps, Former FCC Commissioner and special advisor to Common Cause: "Few people have ever walked through the doors of the Federal Communications Commission with as much knowledge, experience, and good judgment as Jessica Rosenworcel. I know from personal experience that she is among the most capable ever to hold the title of Commissioner, and her return to the Commission could not come at a more propitious time. With the Open Internet, media localism, and diversity all under threat, the public interest has never needed a public interest servant of her caliber so acutely. I urge Congress to confirm her with dispatch."
Public Knowledge President Gene Kimmelman: “We congratulate Jessica Rosenworcel and look forward to working closely to promote competition and fairness to all Americans. At a time when we face enormous challenges to prevent the FCC from undermining fundamental consumer protections, we are pleased that Senate Minority Leader Schumer and his colleagues indicate a commitment to fight for competition, protecting consumers’ pocketbooks and consumers’ rights by promoting nominees who will support our cause.”
Free Press President Craig Aaron: "We welcome Commissioner Rosenworcel's return to the FCC. She is one of the most knowledgeable commissioners ever to serve at the agency. She has a strong record of standing up for the public interest and ensuring the FCC has the legal authority it needs to stand up to the powerful industries it is supposed to monitor. We hope this renomination means the political games around her appointment are over and that she will soon be back at the commission to resist the efforts of Chairman Pai to dismantle so many of her major accomplishments."
AT&T senior EVP Bob Quinn: “AT&T is pleased that President Trump took action to ensure that the FCC will once again benefit from Jessica Rosenworcel’s considerable intellect. Her service as Commission Staff, Congressional Staff and FCC Commissioner provides a depth of experience and expertise rarely matched that will serve her well as she continues to be a leading voice on communications policy.”
American Cable Association President Matt Polka: "ACA praises President Trump for announcing his intent to nominate Jessica Rosenworcel to a new term at the Federal Communications Commission. Her experience in communications law and regulation and her diligence in working through the issues are truly impressive. ACA looks forward to working with Commissioner Rosenworcel at this critical time in the quest to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable, high-performance broadband. Upon her official nomination, ACA encourages the Senate to confirm her quickly."
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association CEO SHirley Bloomfield: “NTCA, our membership and myself personally, congratulates Jessica Rosenworcel on being renominated to the FCC. In her initial tenure at the FCC and during her distinguished career as a key congressional and FCC staffer, she was a leader for the technology industry and a champion for consumers. She knows firsthand the importance of broadband to bring advancements in healthcare, education, public safety and economic development to rural America. We are pleased for the opportunity to work with her again once she is confirmed and to pursue our shared interests in ensuring sustainable and affordable broadband access for all Americans."
Robert McDowell, chief public policy advisor for Mobile Future and a former FCC commissioner: “I'm delighted that my friend and former colleague will be renominated to serve on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Commissioner Rosenworcel is a true intellectual who is always thoughtful and thorough in the pursuit of her duties. She brings strong experience and insight to the Commission and is a dedicated public servant who works to implement policies she believes best serve the public interest. Commissioner Rosenworcel will serve with distinction and new found energy after her hiatus. Mobile Future supports her renomination and confirmation and looks forward to working with her and the FCC around policies that will ensure our nation’s mobile future continues to drive innovation, job creation, competition, and economic growth.”
USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter: “Jessica Rosenworcel is a committed public servant and USTelecom is grateful that her work on behalf of consumers and innovators alike can continue at the Federal Communications Commission. I’ve personally worked with Commissioner Rosenworcel on a number of issues over the years, including the ‘homework gap’ and closing the digital divide, and I’ve always been impressed by her intellect, her integrity and her commitment to encouraging continued investment in our nation’s broadband networks and increasing choice and opportunities for consumers. USTelecom and its members will consider it a great privilege to continue to work with her on these important issues, and we encourage the Senate to confirm her nomination swiftly."
Benton Welcomes Rosenworcel Renomination
Benton is happy to hear that Jessica Rosenworcel could return to the Federal Communications Commission. As a commissioner, Rosenworcel was a leader on a number of issues. She worked to give new meaning to the FCC’s public safety mandate in the Digital Age. She helped modernize the E-rate program to ensure that all students have access to the latest education tools made possible by fast, affordable broadband. She recognized that those students also need reliable, robust broadband access at home so they can complete school assignments. Rosenworcel’s experience and leadership make her an ideal candidate to help shape the future of telecommunication policy.
News On the Rocks: Ajit Pai – From His Transistor Radio, to FCC Chairman
A kid who grew up listening to radio is now in control of it. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai was the child of immigrants from India who arrived in the United States with nothing but a transistor radio and $10. FCC Chairman Pai grew up in Parsons (KS) and told us, “I still remember on summer nights tuning into KLKC 1540 am and hearing the Royals game, especially during that magical season of ’85. I remember also driving to school my parents would have on Paul Harvey. There’s something about his voice that I just found so appealing — it almost felt like he was speaking to me, as silly as that sounds. Even now when I hear his voice on some of the clips that remain online, it’s a familiar voice that really was a presence in my life for a long time. And so Paul Harvey and Dr. Demento — as odd as that combination is — would probably be the things that stick out to me.”