Fred Campbell, director of the Competitive Enterprise
Institute's Communications Liberty & Innovation Project, has been
interviewed for the Republican FCC seat recently vacated by Commissioner Robert
McDowell according to a source familiar with the process.
Campbell declined comment, pointing out that in his role at
the project, he has not been commenting on the FCC commissioner or chairman
selection process in general. But a source said that the staff of Senate
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), had talked to Campbell about the post.
McConnell was said to have wanted to extend the search to
include academics and think-tank thinkers and Campbell would fit the bill.
Campbell, a veteran communications attorney, was a wireless
adviser to FCC chairman Kevin Martin, chief of the wireless bureau and an
attorney adviser with experience in auction policies, including the 700 MHz
auction of broadcast spectrum, arguably the FCC's central issue as it preps for
a second broadcast spectrum incentive auction.
He is also the former president of the Wireless
Communications Association International (WCAI). Tom Wheeler, the President's
nominee to replace Julius Genachowski as chairman of the FCC, is also a former wireless
trade group chief (CTIA) so they could definitely compare notes of both make
the cut.
Senate Commerce Committee chairman Jay Rockefeller (D- W. Va.) announced Tuesday that he would hold Wheeler's nomination hearing June 18, but the full Senate will not vote until a Republican has been nominated to pair with Wheeler.
