Complete Story
01/23/2017
Pai to Be FCC Chair
FCC senior Republican Ajit Pai has been named President Donald Trump's pick as chairman of the FCC, according to a Republican source confirming a report in Politico.
Trump met with Pai Jan. 16, which appeared a clear signal he would be getting the big chair, at least to begin with and perhaps permanently.
Because he has already been confirmed by the Senate, Pai does not need to be renominated or go through a Senate hearing. In fact, the source said the appointment had been made official--with the stroke of a pen--by early evening Friday (Jan. 20).
Pai's first public meeting as chairman--with a 2-1 majority--will be Jan. 31. It features a single, noncontroversial item: "Eliminate the requirement that commercial broadcast stations retain copies of letters and emails from the public in their public inspection file and the requirement that cable operators retain the location of the cable system’s principal headend in their public inspection file."
