December 10th, 2008
Dems blast FCC chief Martin for 'bad manners'
Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin J. Martin has overseen some of the most far-sweeping changes in the telecommunications landscape, including the auction of analog television spectrum to Verizon Communications.
But now that Democrats have control of Congress, Martin is the subject of a blistering 110-page report from the House Energy and Commerce Committee charging that the FCC has ” operated in a dysfunctional manner and commission business has suffered as a result,” in the words of outgoing chairman Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich), The Washington Post reports.
But exactly what is so bad about Martin’s leadership? To a certain extent, it comes down to “bad manners,” said an anonymous Democratic staffer. No laws were violated.
[Martin's] heavy-handed, opaque, and non-collegial management style has created distrust, suspicion and turmoil among the five current commissioners.
As it turns out only Dingell and subcommittee chairman Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) signed onto the report. Republican Joe Barton (D-Tex.) originally supported the inquiry but eventually was “unconvinced that the discovery of a lack of gentility warrants much hoopla, or any hoopla at all,” said Larry Neal, deputy Republican staff director of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
But Stupak called for Martin’s immediate ouster.
“To restore integrity to the FCC and to stimulate economic growth in the telecommunications industry, I believe that President-elect Obama should replace Mr. Martin immediately upon taking office,” Stupak said later in an e-mail.
