FCC Chair Greasing Skids for Fifth AT&T-BellSouth Vote

December 3, 2006

As many telecommunications pundits have been suspecting for some time now, U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chair Kevin Martin is undertaking steps that would free up fellow Republican commish Robert McCDowell to not be on such a guilt trip about casting a tie-brekaing vote that would allow AT&T to acquire Bell South.

Because McDowell once worked for an association that opposed the merger, he has recused himself. That being the case, the FCC has been stuck on 2-2.

But now Martin has asked FCC general counsel Sam Feder to rule on whether the government's interests would be served by McCdowell voting on the merger would trump his conflict-of-interest concerns.

It sppears that Martin would like to have the matter settled in time for the FCC's next meeting on December 20.

The last meeting, incidentally, before a Democratic Congress takes over that would put a party traditionally less receptive to corporate mergers in the majority.