Add 11 New York House members to the Congress folk asking the
FCC and Department of Justice to get off the stick and approve the Comcast/NBCU
merger.
In a letter dated last Friday, the members, who include Democrats
Eliot Engel, Ed Towns and Steve Israel and Republican Chris Lee, said they
recognized that large companies needed government scrutiny when they get
together, but that review should not "drag on indefinitely."
They cited the numerous Hill hearings on the deal, the public
interest conditions and intervening side deals with producers, affiliates and
minority groups, and the FCC's marathon Chicago hearing as evidence the deal
had been vetted. They also suggested the public had had ample opportunity to
weigh in as well, with five months to file comments and another two to file
replies (which are now due Aug. 19).
"With this large record of information, we hope you will
conclude the regulatory review process in a timely matter and approve the
merger."
In a letter filed Monday, Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) suggested
timely would be no later than Dec. 1, essentially a year after the deal was
announced.
