WASHINGTON-Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) late Friday blasted Federal Communications Commission Chairman Bill Kennard and his press office for staff statements to the press suggesting the agency might block pending telecom mega-mergers even if they are approved by the Justice Department.
The Wall Street Journal, citing FCC sources, last week reported the commission was prepared to vote down multibillion mergers between SBC Communications Inc. and Ameritech Corp., and between Bell Atlantic Corp. and GTE Corp. if the proposed deals do not meet the public-interest standard.
The Journal quoted Thomas Krattenmaker, who is overseeing pending mergers, as saying: “This may be the classic slippery slope … Certainly there comes a time at which recreating AT&T East and AT&T West crosses the line.”
FCC officials do not normally speak so frankly about matters of such gravity. But, if accurate, the statements could reflect the prospect that FCC could make an unprecedented break with Justice on one or more major telecom mergers.
McCain reserved his harshest words for the FCC’s media unit.
“I would hope that your Office of Public Affairs possesses enough baseline competence to assist you in this endeavor by assuring that the press has access to information that is compatible with the fundamental fairness the commission must extend by law to any party with matters pending before it,” said McCain.
