The Senate Commerce Committee has dropped the nomination of TV writer Warren Bell from the agenda for its nomination hearing Thursday morning, most likely spelling the end of his short and rocky run for a seat.
The nominations of potential CPB board members Bell, former Senator David Pryor, and Chris Boskin, on the board of KQED San Francisco, had been slated for hearing. The latter two remain on the schedule, but the committee late Wednesday issued the following:
"The Senate Commerce Committee has removed the nomination of Mr. Warren Bell, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, from the Committee’s Thursday agenda. Bell was removed after several members of the Senate Commerce Committee expressed concerns."
The concerns are over some of the writings of conservative TV writer and producer Bell--According to Jim, Ellen, Coach. The Association of Public Television Stations said Wednesday it had strong reservations about his nomination, and had been working the Hill to make its displeasure known.
The other two board nominees are expected to be approved by the committee, and likely get a full Senate vote by the time legislators break for the elections Sept. 29 or 30.
