IP Democracy: FCC Chairman Now Under Attack by Democrats

Every year, the Federal Communications Bar Association (FCBA) hosts a charity fundraiser called the Chairman's Dinner, in honor of the sitting FCC Chairman. The FCBA's dinner is slated for tomorrow night and the honoree is Republican Chairman Kevin Martin.

Typically the dinner is a somewhat fun affair for communications policy wonks and lawyers (or at least as fun as these events can get), with the Chairman serving as a good-natured foil for some inside-the-beltway parodies. It's more of a roast than anything else, with the Chairman willing to engage in self-deprecating humor for a good cause.

However, this year Martin might have a more difficult time mustering the bonhomie. Not only is he coming off a brutal, botched and much-delayed Commission meeting last week, his fellow Republicans are ticked off at his attempts to regulate cable and now, it seems, Democrats are angry about how Martin is running the agency.

In preparation for an oversight hearing tomorrow, Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, sent Martin a letter yesterday accusing him of abusing his power and questioning whether his leadership has led to "a breakdown in proper procedure at the FCC." Dingell claims that Martin has been "short-circuiting procedural norms," referring to Martin's attempts to withhold information from fellow commissioners about important FCC agenda items, and asks Martin to commit to procedures that will ensure other commissioners receive adequate and information about important matters.

Dingell sent the letter in part because Congress is always yanking the chain of the FCC Chairman but also because Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), who chairs the Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, claims to have heard complaints about the Chairman. In a statement, Stupak said

I have received several complaints from the public and professionals within the communications industry about how chairman Martin is conducting business at the FCC. It is one thing to be an aggressive leader, but many of the allegations indicate possible abuse of power and an attempt to intentionally keep fellow commissioners in the dark.

Unlike the Republican disillusionment, this latest attack on Martin is not likely spurred by cable industry lobbyists. Dingell and Stupak are not known as friends of the cable industry. Martin, it seems, is just a hated guy.

It's hard to see what Martin will joke about tomorrow night. At last year's dinner, which was held in April 2007 because Martin delayed it by four months, he revived a complicated joke about the "KGB-like atmosphere at the FCC," a poke at himself for being too controlling. Let's hope Martin has hired some good joke writers because this year that bit of humor will surely fall flat.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on December 4, 2007 7:42 AM to IP Democracy