FCC nominee appears before Senate panel
Jonathan S. Adelstein is set to appear on Tuesday, July 16, before the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee to testify in a hearing about his nomination by President George W. Bush to fill a vacant seat on the FCC.
If confirmed, he would serve the remainder of former FCC Commissioner Gloria Tristani’s five-year term, which expires June 30, 2003. Sitting commissioners don’t always leave upon a term’s expiration, though. Under provisions of federal law, the U.S. Constitution and a recess appointment, a commissioner could serve nearly two-and-a-half years after a term expires without further Senate action.
Adelstein is an aide to Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle (D-S.D.).
On March 15, Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) announced his opposition to Adelstein even before the president nominated him, citing Adelstein’s lack of experience. The day before, the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected the president’s nomination of U.S. District Court Judge Charles Pickering of Mississippi to be a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, by a straight party line vote of 10 to 9.