Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, drew some colleagues’ incredulity Wednesday after his office released a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seeking documents that could support his claim that military officials during the Biden administration circumvented federal lobbying restrictions by pressuring defense contractors to lobby against spectrum legislation.
Trent McCotter, the lawyer for Consumers’ Research, faced tough questions during lengthy oral arguments Wednesday at the U.S. Supreme Court on the group’s challenge of the USF contribution factor and the USF in general. Sarah Harris, acting U.S. solicitor general, vigorously defended the USF on behalf of the government. Paul Clement of Clement & Murphy, a high-profile conservative appellate lawyer, represented industry defenders of the USF.
Crown Castle promotes Dan Schlanger to interim CEO, replacing Steven Moskowitz; Schlanger continues as CFO until April 1, when Sunit Patel, ex-Ibotta, becomes CFO and executive vice president; once a permanent CEO is appointed, the board intends to name Schlanger chief transformation officer … Alex El-Fakir, America’s Frontier Fund Foundation, is on assignment as senior adviser-strategic operations, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy … Carbyne adds Jim Bugel, former FirstNet/AT&T, to its advisory board … Tinae Bluitt, ex-office of Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Ohio, joins Fiber Broadband Association as public policy manager.
Jenner & Block on Tuesday became the latest major law firm to run afoul of President Donald Trump, who issued an executive order instructing his administration to review federal contracts with the firm and security clearances of its lawyers. Jenner previously employed Andrew Weissmann, a Trump critic and former federal prosecutor who worked on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Trump in his first presidency. Jenner “is yet another law firm that has abandoned the profession's highest ideals, condoned partisan ‘lawfare,’ and abused its pro bono practice to engage in activities that undermine justice and the interests of the United States,” the order said. The firm has an active communications practice.
Oklahoma is "holding off" on its subgrant selection process for the BEAD and tribal broadband connectivity program following NTIA's rescoping of BEAD, the state's Broadband Office said during a governing board meeting Tuesday (see 2503060047). The office will soon release a second request for information (RFI) for network expansion territories as it awaits NTIA's next move concerning programmatic changes.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson defended President Donald Trump's firing of the commission’s two Democrats during a speech at the Free State Foundation conference Tuesday. Ferguson also espoused a theory on executive power that the president may remove commissioners and install supporters on what Trump has termed “so-called” independent commissions. When Americans choose a president, “we are electing the person who is going to be able to supervise the entire government, not parts of the government,” Ferguson said.
Sinclair Executive Vice President and CFO Lucy Rutishauser will retire after her successor is named and transitions to the role; after retirement, Rutishauser is expected to remain as senior adviser … Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International names Nicole McGinnis, formerly FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, as chief counsel … Austin Bonner, ex-White House and FCC, returns to HWG as a partner in its telecommunications, issues and appeals, and AI and emerging technologies practice groups … Shane Portfolio, Congruex and formerly Comcast, joins Teleste’s advisory board … CoreWeave adds Jean English, ex-Juniper Networks, as chief marketing officer, new post ... Emergency response center data supplier Carbyne appoints Colby Proffitt, formerly Shift5, as chief marketing officer ... Space service company Spire Global names Alison Engel, formerly LeaseAccelerator, as CFO, replacing Thomas Krywe, interim CFO, who remains as executive adviser through April … Morgan Murphy Media promotes Brian Burns to president-CEO, replacing retiring Elizabeth Murphy Burns, who becomes board chair.
Leaders of the National Association of State 911 Administrators and National Emergency Number Association are urging Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to preserve “a strong role” for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National 911 Program amid the Trump administration’s government-wide workforce cuts. The program “has been crucial in coordinating state and local 9-1-1 systems -- an area that no other federal entity addresses,” said NASNA Executive Director Harriet Rennie-Brown and NENA CEO Brian Fontes in a letter to Duffy. “This coordination is more essential than ever as over 5,000 local 9-1-1 centers transition to” next-generation 911 technology. “Without support from the National 9-1-1 Program Office, local jurisdictions will struggle with interoperability between and among agencies and jurisdictions -- a key public safety component,” they said. “This is particularly true on our nation’s highways, where an estimated one-third of all 9-1-1 calls originate and where effective coordination and interoperability can save lives.”
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said Friday that the FCC won’t approve mergers and acquisitions for companies with diversity, equity and inclusion policies, according to Bloomberg. He also met with a conservative influencer Wednesday who has been involved in online campaigns against corporate diversity policies.
The recent Mobile World Congress came at “a critical juncture” for the wireless industry, said Prakash Sangam, principal of Tantra Analyst, during a Wireless Communications Alliance webinar Thursday. CTIA Chief Technology Officer Tom Sawanobori cited AI as another prominent theme at the GSMA's trade show in Barcelona earlier this month.