From this morning's Tom Taylor NOW column...
Obama re-nominates Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel to the FCC. It’s not unexpected, and its success depends on whether Trump’s FCC policy team thinks Rosenworcel is the most acceptable Dem they can find (and get confirmed by the Senate). She’s certainly got the experience at the Commission, having joined in May 2012 to serve out an unexpired term. That term expired in mid-2015 but she was permitted to stay until the end of the 114th Congress. Jessica literally just packed her stuff and bade farewell on Tuesday – and now she’s on President Obama’s list of nominations submitted to the Senate. Obama also re-nominated Brent Nelsen and David Arroyo to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. For now, the FCC has four members – Republicans Ajit Pai and Mike O’Rielly, and Dems Mignon Clyburn and outgoing Chair Tom Wheeler. Last night, Wheeler said “I applaud President Obama’s reappointment of Jessica Rosenworcel to the FCC, and hope that Congress will act quickly to confirm her nomination.” Among her supporters is the conservative Parents Television Council.
On January 20th when Tom Wheeler steps down, there will be only three members of the FCC. Look for the Republicans to slow walk this nomination (despite her obvious credentials) so that they maintain control of FCC until a new Republican chairman can be named.
