By Jay Sherman
WASHINGTON—The Senate on Friday confirmed the nomination of telecommunications lawyer Robert McDowell to the Federal Communications Commission, ending a two-month delay and handing FCC Chairman Kevin Martin a Republican majority on the panel.
The unanimous confirmation fills the fifth seat on the five-member commission and ends any deadlocks created by having the seat open. Until Friday’s confirmation, the panel consisted of two Democrats and two Republicans. Mr. McDowell’s seat expires June 30, 2009.
Mr. McDowell was nominated earlier this year, but his confirmation stalled after Sen. John Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) put a hold on the nomination.
Mr. McDowell previously was a lawyer for the telecommunications group Comptel, which represents smaller telephone and Internet companies that compete with telecommunications giants such as Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc.
Jay Sherman is a reporter with TVWeek, a sister publication of RCR Wireless News. Both publications are owned by Crain Communications Inc.
