Adelstein Expected to Be Named Next RUS Administrator
FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein appears headed to the Rural Utilities Service as the next administrator, a higher profile job than in the past because of the broadband loans and grants the agency will administer. Adelstein is not expected to be nominated an additional five-year term on the FCC, where he has been since 2002.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
Adelstein was seen at one point as likely to be nominated coordinator for international communications and information policy at the State Department, an ambassador- level job held by David Gross in the last administration. But officials said he got caught in a turf battle between Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the White House. Adelstein was not a Clinton supporter during her run for the White House, which reportedly hurt him in pursuit of the job at State. Moreover, Adelstein, who has young children, was reportedly concerned about the amount of travel required for that position.
“It’s becoming clear that’s it’s really Hillary’s turf” at the State Department, said one industry official. “Jonathan is an Obama person.” The job likely will ultimately go to someone with ties to former senator Clinton, such as Susan Ness, a former FCC commissioner who supported Clinton in her run for the White House.
Industry officials said Adelstein would be a natural as RUS administrator. “He comes from South Dakota, comes from a rural area,” said an attorney who follows RUS issues. “It kind of fits with his talents. He understand the industry. He’s up to speed on it. If he can’t stay with the FCC what’s the next best play to stay? … Nobody wants to go into the private sector right now. It’s not a good time to be out there.”
If Adelstein is indeed headed for RUS, he would be a “fabulous pick,” said e-Copernicus consultant Chris McLean in an interview. McLean is a former RUS administrator. Adelstein comes from a rural state, and at the commission has shown he is “deeply committed to improving the lives of rural America,” McLean said.
The FCC, NTIA and RUS will hold a joint meeting on broadband efforts March 10, the Federal Register said Friday. The meeting is open to the public and will be at NTIA headquarters, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The agencies will discuss “the new Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, the new Rural Development Broadband Program, and the development of a National Broadband Plan,” the notice said. An agenda will be available on all three agencies’ Web sites, it said.