The Senate Select Committee on Ethics hired a lawyer for a “preliminary inquiry” regarding ethics allegations against Communications Subcommittee Ranking Member John Ensign, R-Nev., the ethics committee said Tuesday. It hired Carol Bruce, a congressional investigation attorney with K&L Gates. The panel didn’t describe the allegations against Ensign, but the senator previously was accused of covering up an affair with an aide. “The purpose of a preliminary inquiry is to determine whether there is substantial credible evidence that a violation within the Committee’s jurisdiction has occurred,” the ethics committee said. After that, it said the panel could dismiss the allegations, send a letter of admonition, “or, for more serious violations, [conduct] an adjudicatory review.” The panel “has assured Senator Ensign that their inquiry remains in the preliminary stage and that the appointment of a special counsel does not change the course of its inquiry,” said lawyer Robert Walker of Wiley Rein, representing Ensign in the matter. “Senator Ensign is confident that he complied with all ethics rules and laws, and he is hopeful that this appointment will lead to a more speedy resolution of this matter.” Ensign “will continue to cooperate with the committee’s inquiry,” added Walker.
Jan. 24-25 PLI seminar on broadband and cable industry law, PLI New York Center, 810 7th Ave. -- 800-260-4754
Democratic Commissioners Michael Copps and Mignon Clyburn have no regrets about supporting a compromise net neutrality order last month, the commissioners told us after a Minority Media and Telecommunications Council panel Friday morning. Copps acknowledged that he was “worried” that Verizon would prevail in its appeal of last month’s order, “and I said so at the time,” but said “our case is stronger” than the one the FCC took to court that led to last year’s Comcast decision. Verizon announced it would challenge the net neutrality order in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (CD Jan 21 p1).
House Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., added more staff to the committee, his office said late Wednesday. Of communications interest is Jeff Mortier, who previously worked on telecom and healthcare issues for committee member Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky. Michael Bloomquist, ex-Wiley Rein, was named deputy general counsel of the committee, while Todd Harrison from Patton Boggs is now chief counsel of the Oversight Subcommittee.
Among new Wiley Rein partners: Michael Bloomquist, ex-aide to House Commerce Committee, and Megan Brown, in communications practice.
TeleCuba Communications has hired Wiley, Rein to do its lobbying in Washington. In October 2009, TeleCuba won a license from the Treasury Department to lay cable between Key West, Fla., and Cuba. TeleCuba also wants to introduce the first U.S.-based cellular service that can roam in Cuba.
Among members of revived Administrative Conference of the United States: Jodie Bernstein, Kelley Drye; David Frederick, Kellogg, Huber; Russell Frisby, Stinson Morrison; Randolph May, Free State Foundation; Michael Powell, Providence Equity Partners; Helgi Walker, Wiley Rein … Hearst Television hires Andrew Jackson, ex-BBC America, to return to KITV Honolulu as president and general manager … Cox Media Group promotes Kristin Okesson to vice president and market manager for Connecticut radio stations.
Oct. 18 NATOA webinar on future of cable TV, 2 p.m., info@natoa.org
Intensifying FCC review of Comcast-NBC Universal shows which issues the agency is focusing on that likely will be addressed in the final merger order, while holding import for how industry, legislators and others perceive Chairman Julius Genachowski and the agency itself, said former commissioners, communications lawyers and antitrust specialists. That more career staffers are spending additional time on Comcast’s multibillion dollar plan to buy control of NBC Universal and late Monday made another request for information from the companies (CD Oct 5 p8) shows an FCC intent on a thorough review. Should that be done with dispatch, Genachowski’s quest to get a reputation as able to timely decide on complex issues may be helped, said lawyers not part of the deal.
The NTIA awarded the last of grants under the Broadband Technologies Program, closing out awards for the program created by broad economic stimulus legislation that cleared Congress shortly after President Barack Obama took office last year. NTIA beat Thursday’s deadline to complete awards for the $4 billion program. The Rural Utilities Service will announce final awards by the same deadline for its part of the broadband stimulus program, spokesman Bart Kendrick said Tuesday. The agency was still finalizing the review of a few applications, he said.