House to Release FCC Investigation Findings
Kevin Martin hasn't said whether he wants to meet committee to talk about report before it's released
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/17/2008 11:48:00 AM
The House Energy & Commerce Committee's Oversight and Investigations subcommittee is looking to release the findings of its FCC investigation within the next 10 days, according to a committee source.
Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) and subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak, also a Michigan Democrat, have yet to hear back from FCC Chairman Kevin Martin about whether he wants to meet with the committee to talk about the report's findings before it is released, according to the source.
An FCC spokesperson had no comment on where the chairman's response stood, saying the commission was still reviewing the request, but pointing out the FCC continued to cooperate with the committee.
The investigations subcommittee, headed by Stupak, launched the formal investigation last January after complaints externally and internally about how items were brought to a vote, information that was leaking to some lobbyists and not to others, and complaints about Martin's resolve to vote on modifying the ban on newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership -- which passed Dec. 18 -- despite attempts to stop or delay the vote by members of FCC oversight committees in both Houses.
Martin defended the move, pointing out that it was less regulatory than the FCC’s 200 rule rewrite and was accompanied by diversity and localism initiatives in response to the FCC’s rule review process.
Sources told B&C several weeks ago that the review had been wrapped and that there would be no hearing, but likely a report released in the lame duck session, which began Monday.
