Two key House lawmakers are investigating the Federal Communications Commission, accusing chairman Kevin J. Martin of “possible abuse of power” and criticizing him for not handling proposed cable TV and media ownership regulations in an open and fair manner.
According to the L.A. Times, Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.), chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee and Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who heads the Energy and Commerce subcommittee that will conduct the investigation, expressed concern over the FCC not making available the full text of the proposed rules to the public before it voted on them, and Martin’s failure to give other commissioners details of proposals until it was too late for them to analyze them.
“It is one thing to be an aggressive leader, but many of the allegations indicate possible abuse of power and an attempt to intentionally keep fellow commissioners in the dark,” says Stupak.
Martin and the four other FCC commissioners have been called to an oversight hearing today, and a Senate committee will hear testimony from them next week.