Republican Trusty's FCC Confirmation Puts Focus on Other Commission Vacancies
Republican Olivia Trusty’s confirmation Wednesday to a full five-year FCC term cements an incoming GOP majority at the commission, but there's still substantial uncertainty about whether President Donald Trump will pick nominees to succeed ex-Commissioners Nathan Simington and Geoffrey Starks, former officials and other observers told us. The Senate voted 53-45 Wednesday to confirm Trusty, as expected (see 2506170072). Senators also cleared her Tuesday to finish former Democratic Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel's term, which ends June 30.
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The Senate’s Wednesday vote on Trusty, like its Tuesday tally, divided largely along party lines. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania repeated his role as the only Democrat to side with chamber Republicans in voting for Trusty. All other Democrats voted against her over frustrations that Trump hasn't picked a party-affiliated nominee to replace Starks (see 2506160061). Simington, a Republican, and Starks, a Democrat, simultaneously departed the FCC earlier this month and left the agency without a quorum (see 2506040073). FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez and House Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., were among those who congratulated Trusty (see 2506180074).
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Maria Cantwell of Washington and Communications Subcommittee ranking member Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico separately indicated that they doubt Trump will name a Democrat to replace Starks, even after they and other party members attempted to highlight the issue by voting against Trusty. “I don’t think the White House is interested” in hearing recommendations from Democrats on a potential Starks replacement, Cantwell told us. She was among five Senate Commerce Democrats who backed advancing Trusty out of committee in late April (see 2504300047) but voted against the nominee on the floor.
“I don't know what it will take” to get the Trump administration to nominate a Democrat to succeed Starks, as the White House hasn’t given any signals that it’s even considering party-affiliated candidates for the vacancy, Lujan told us. “I've not heard names [for Starks’ seat] being offered from one corner or another, from one part of this town or another.” Everyone “should have concerns, whether you're in the majority or in the minority, about what's happening at the FCC, and arguably, what will be occurring at the FTC and other independent agencies” where Trump has failed to repopulate with candidates for seats traditionally held by the party not in control of the White House, Lujan said.
The office of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., didn’t comment on whether he plans to recommend a candidate for Starks' seat privately or publicly. No such recommendation has yet occurred, several lobbyists told us. Schumer would be likeliest to recommend Didier Barjon, his tech and telecom legislative aide, officials and lobbyists told us. Lobbyists have seen Barjon as a strong contender since Starks announced his departure plans in March (see 2503180067). Officials and lobbyists also mentioned as possibilities SpaceX's David Goldman; Narda Jones, Rosenworcel’s former chief of staff; former Incompas President Angie Kronenberg; and T-Mobile Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Smitty Smith.
Simington Successor?
Senate Republican aides and lobbyists told us they don’t expect Trump to name a successor for Simington anytime soon either, if at all. Aides said GOP lawmakers don’t see an urgency for Trump to name another FCC Republican now that the Senate has confirmed Trusty and secured the party’s majority. Republicans also believe postponing a selection for Simington's successor will stave off Democratic rancor over Trump not picking one for Starks. Lobbyists also noted a decline in chatter about Gavin Wax, Simington's former chief of staff, as a contender to fill the vacancy (see 2506060051).
Wax nonetheless has kept himself in the spotlight. He said Sunday in a post on X that tech jobs should go only to U.S. citizens. “Silicon Valley is a strategic national asset whose jobs should be legally reserved for U.S. citizens,” said Wax, who served under Simington for 45 days. "It’s a matter of national security. This shouldn’t be controversial.” Wax’s comment drew pushback from tech executives and the conservative think tank R Street Institute. In another post, Wax compared limits on immigrants in Silicon Valley to Cold War-era U.S. rules on technology exports and access to the Soviet Union.
In an interview, Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chair Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., didn’t declare a preference for a Simington successor but said it’s “wonderful that people have mentioned” Jamie Susskind, her legislative director, as a candidate. “I think it depends on what [Susskind] wants to do,” Blackburn said. “She's smart. She’s focused. She is somebody that would be a good, strong addition” to the FCC.
Lobbyists continued mentioning a raft of other potential GOP successors, including FCC General Counsel Adam Candeub and former Simington chief of staff Adam Cassady, now acting NTIA administrator. Other names that lobbyists cited included National Economic Council Deputy Director Robin Colwell, House Communications Subcommittee Chief GOP Counsel Kate O’Connor Harper, Digital Progress Institute President Joel Thayer and Jade Winfree, the Government Accountability Office’s Senate Commerce detailee to Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas.