Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is still unsatisfied with...
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is still unsatisfied with Tom Wheeler, the administration’s nominee for FCC chairman. Cruz still hasn’t received answers to the questions he posed to Wheeler regarding rules on political speech regulation, his spokeswoman told us Thursday night.…
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Observers, when speculating on how quickly a Senate vote may happen for the potential FCC nominee pairing of Tom Wheeler and Mike O'Rielly, told us last week that a Cruz hold may be an obstacle to a full Senate vote (CD Sept 13 p1). Cruz threatened a hold during a July Commerce Committee hearing, and his spokeswoman reiterated Thursday that “he’s keeping options on the table that will help lead to his questions being answered.” In questions for the record, Cruz asked Wheeler, “Does the FCC have the authority to implement the kind of requirements laid out in the DISCLOSE Act?” He asked Wheeler whether Congress or the FCC has “primary authority” in regulating political speech and about how Wheeler’s answer would play a role in his chairmanship. The answer Wheeler provided to Cruz refers to the authority Congress has granted the FCC, including “certain disclosure responsibilities related to sponsorship identification (Sec. 317) and political disclosure (Sec. 315).” But Wheeler does not directly answer Cruz’s question: “In determining the scope of those provisions, I will be guided by the Constitution, especially the First Amendment, Congress’ directives under the Communications Act, and legal precedent,” he told the senator.