The term of Republican FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly...
The term of Republican FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly expired Monday. The White House nominated him to finish the term of Robert McDowell, who stepped down last year, and O'Rielly was sworn in as commissioner in November after the Senate approved…
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the paired nominations of O'Rielly and current FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. McDowell’s term ran only up through Monday, as the White House noted when first nominating O'Rielly (http://1.usa.gov/1lA3noJ). Normally FCC commissioners are appointed for five-year terms and can serve beyond their expiration until the subsequent session of Congress expires. But an exception exists, according to the Communications Act (http://1.usa.gov/1opbbhs), saying “any person chosen to fill a vacancy shall be appointed only for the unexpired term of the commissioner whom he succeeds.” The agency had no immediate comment.