Nearly a dozen former White House, FCC and...

and listed his achievements in the private sector and as an advocate for the cable and wireless industries “when they were the insurgents challenging the established players.” Wheeler “has consistently fought on the side of increasing competition,” said the letter. “He understands the importance of reclaiming the pro-competition, pro-innovation, pro-growth regulatory ideal.” The letter’s signatories said Wheeler’s work on the digital TV transition makes them “confident that the focus and knowledge of spectrum issues that Tom brought to that undertaking will serve the Commission well once again in the execution of the upcoming auction of broadcast spectrum.” It was signed by Susan Crawford, former special assistant to the president for science, technology and innovation policy; Phil Weiser, former senior adviser for technology and innovation; Sonal Shah, former director of the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation; Phil Verveer, former U.S. ambassador and deputy assistant secretary of state for international communications and information policy; Larry Irving, former NTIA administrator; Decker Anstrom, former U.S. ambassador and head of delegation for the 2012 World Radio Conference, as well as an ex-NCTA president; Terry Kramer, former U.S. ambassador and head of delegation for the World Conference on International Telecommunications; Andrew Schwartzman, former president of the Media Access Project; Kevin Werbach, former co-leader of the Obama-Biden transition team on the FCC; David Aylward, former chief counsel/staff director at the House Telecommunications and Finance Subcommittee; and Paul de Sa, former chief of the FCC’s Office of Strategic Planning. Crawford confirmed the existence of the letter and said she had not yet received a response from the White House.