Biden to Re-Up FCC, FTC, NTIA Nominees Monday Night
President Joe Biden intended to formally renominate three major telecom and tech picks Monday night: FCC nominee Gigi Sohn, FTC nominee Alvaro Bedoya and NTIA administrator nominee Alan Davidson, as expected (see 2112210066), a White House official told us. Their…
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nominations expired at the end of the 117th Congress’ 2021 session. An administration spokesperson didn’t comment. Bedoya (see 2112010043) and Sohn faced strong GOP opposition late last year. Some Senate Commerce Committee Democrats also voiced misgivings about Sohn, causing the panel to postpone a vote on the nominee. Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada, one of the two Commerce Democrats who was seen as a holdout on Sohn at the end of 2021, had a “productive conversation” with the nominee Dec. 17 about Rosen’s concerns (see 2112150069), a spokesperson emailed. Rosen raised qualms about Sohn’s position on IP and media ownership diversity and her involvement with shuttered sports rebroadcaster Locast as a board member for its operator Sports Fans Coalition. The office of Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, the other Commerce Democratic holdout, didn’t comment. Broadcast advocate Preston Padden backed Sohn in a Sunday InsideSources opinion piece. “I strongly disagree with Gigi on some issues,” Padden said. “We have fought vigorously on many industry panels over more than 35 years. But I never found Gigi to be disagreeable.” Established “market entities deserve a voice in public policy debates,” but “there is a public interest need for the FCC also to have a strong and effective voice for competition and disruptive new market entrants,” he said. The Senate will likely be able to easily confirm Davidson, but the nominee will have to face a floor vote, given expectations Sen Rick Scott, R-Fla., will renew his hold on all Commerce Department nominees (see 2111180081), lobbyists told us. A hold prevents the Senate from moving a nominee via unanimous consent. Senate Commerce advanced Davidson last month, with Scott and two other Republicans being recorded as no votes. Communications Subcommittee ranking member John Thune of South Dakota, who was one of the GOP no votes, “still has several concerns with” moving forward on Davidson, a spokesperson emailed.