FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell underwent emergency gall bladder
surgery over the weekend, according to his office.
"His spirits
are good while he is recovering at home with his family. He expects to
be working at full speed back in the office in a few days," said
spokeswoman Brigid Calamis.
McDowell went into the ER Friday
night (May 7) and had surgery Saturday morning, said an aide.
McDowell, senior Republican on
the commission, has been at the FCC since 2006. He was reappointed and
confirmed in June 2009, the first Republican appointed to an
independent agency by President Barack Obama, according to McDowell's
office. Prior to joining the FCC, McDowell was senior VP at
the Competitive Telecommunications Association (CompTel).
McDowell's office was
busy
rescheduling back-to-back meetings that had been planned for Monday (May
10),
while one aide said McDowell was frustrated at not being able to drive
and was doing a lot of e-mailing.
An aide says McDowell will have to cancel his appearance
at the Cable Show on Wednesday. He had been scheduled to appear with former FCC
Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, now head of the USDA's Rural Utilities
Service, at a May 12 public policy roundtable in L.A. He will instead be resting
at home for the balance of the week.
His office will be represented at the show by media legal
adviser Rosemary Harold and policy director and wireline counsel Christine
Kurth.
