Trump Revokes FCC Commissioner O'Rielly's Renomination

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, August 3, 2020

Michael O'Rielly

President Donald Trump on Monday rescinded his renomination of Commissioner Michael O'Rielly, a Republican, to serve another 5-year term at the Federal Communications Commission. The reversal, announced Monday, didn't provide a reason for the decision. The move follows the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee vote to send O'Rielly's nomination for another term to the full Senate for confirmation on July 22.

According to Bloomberg, O'Rielly's vote could be needed to advance Trump's initiative social media agenda. Both of the agency's Democrats have expressed opposition to the president's drive to narrow the shield against legal liability for companies such as Twitter and Facebook. In a speech on July 29, O'Rielly signaled that he opposed the president's initiative.

NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith said in a statement, "Mike O'Rielly has been a sterling public servant for as long as I have had the privilege of knowing him, a span of time covering my years in the Senate and throughout my time leading NAB. He is the consummate professional-smart, diligent, honest, and fair. For these and many other reasons, NAB has been proud to support his continued service at the Commission. But for these reasons also, I have every confidence that he will succeed wherever he casts his lot."

FCC Commissioner O'Rielly was nominated for a seat on the FCC by President Barack Obama and was sworn into office in November, 2013. In January 2015, he was confirmed and sworn into office for a second term.

Prior to joining the agency, Commissioner O'Rielly spent almost 20 years working in prominent Republican communication policy and leadership positions for the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Most recently, he served as a Policy Advisor in the Office of the Senate Republican Whip, led by U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX).