First, the nation’s capital gave you the Million Man March. Now, the Million-Dollar Question.
It’s just a matter of time now before subpoenas go out to one or more of the Gore gang connected with the FCC Portals lease.
The House Commerce Committee is none too happy with Portals developer Franklin Haney and Peter Knight, the lobbyist and former Clinton-Gore campaign manager who was paid a handsome $1 million to seal a deal to lock the FCC into a 20-year, $400 lease across town in Southwest D.C.
And what a deal it is! Top dollar real estate that taxpayers have been underwriting for months despite the absence of the would-be tenant: the FCC.
Meanwhile, the agency remains in limbo about whether it will be forced out this year of its comfy confines at 1919 M Street in downtown D.C.-home of fine cuisine, hoity-toity boutiques and pricey communications lawyers that change hearts and minds of telecom regulators. The lawyers don’t want to see the FCC relocate. For that reason, some accuse of them of fomenting the GOP revolt against Al’s pals.
Seems Commerce Committee investigators don’t like how Haney and Knight answered and dodged detailed questions about the Portals lease, particularly what looks to them as an illegal $1 million political kickback.
Listen to what the committee said last week about Knight:
“Peter Knight has provided bits and pieces of information in response to the committee’s request regarding the FCC’s move to the Portals. But, at his client Franklin Haney’s direction, he did not provide specific answers to our questions or produce other relevant documents. We are therefore left with only a road map with holes all over it, which piques our interest even further about the million-dollar payment Mr. Haney made to Mr. Knight. It is the question on everybody’s mind … the million-dollar question.”
… Kudos to PCIA’s LifePage program for placing more than 17,000 pagers in 1997 and to CTIA for its work with MADD.
… Regrets for delay in announcing move of Eileen Duff, ex-aide to former Commissioner Chong, to CTIA as director of external and industry relations.
… FCC Chairman Bill Kennard tells Newark, N.J., elementary school, “I am working hard to ensure that every school child in this country has the same opportunities you do and that we bring modern communications technology to every classroom.” The 13th Avenue Elementary School, and perhaps its kids, are wired.
… FCC OET will hold a roundtable Feb. 18 on “Evaluating Radio-frequency Exposure Compliance of Mobile and Portable Devices.”
… Sorry Commissioners Tristani and Furchtgott-Roth about Jan. 5 D.C. Notes. For sure, you are `In’ in 1998.
