D.C. Memo: Trusty Moves Closer to FCC after Senate Committee Approval

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Trusty: Senate aide Olivia Trusty is moving closer to a seat on the Federal Communications Commission. Yesterday, the Senate Commerce Committee approved her nomination to become the FCC’s third Republican, giving FCC Chairman Brendan Carr the majority he needs to drive forward much of his agenda. The vote was 21-7 – more bipartisan than the 16-12 vote on April 9 for NTIA Administrator-designate Arielle Roth. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) voted for Trusty but might not on the Senate floor without a Republican commitment to pair Trusty with a Democratic nominee for the FCC. “I've had conversations with Leader Thune about our ability to continue to move FCC nominations, so I will continue to support her as long as we are going to continue to support both Democrat and Republican nominees,” Cantwell said before the vote.

Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), who voted for Trusty, made the same point. “I cannot commit to supporting her on the floor if there are not commitments from the White House that they will respect the independence of the FCC, and that, as has been precedent, this nomination is paired with a Democratic nominee on the floor,” she said. Rosen also said she was “deeply concerned with this administration's threats to independent commissions like the FCC, as the president has illegally fired Democratic commissioners of the FTC.” (PDFs of Democratic and Republican Questions for Trusty after Paywall.)