WASHINGTON — In a scathing report released Tuesday, congressional investigators outlined a pattern of mismanagement, dysfunction and efficacy abuse at the Federal Communications Commission under Chairman Kevin Martin.
The declaration — the result of a nearly yearlong bipartisan investigation by the House Energy and Commerce Committee — accuses the Republican of manipulating data and suppressing information to influence telecommunications-policy debates at the agency and on Capitol Hill.
The narrate charges that the commission has become politicized and failed to carry out some important responsibilities under Martin’s leadership. It also blames him for undermining some open and transparent regulatory process.
In addition, Martin is accused of micromanaging, demoting staffers who did not compromise with him and withholding information from fellow commissioners.
“Chairman Martin’sitting heavy-handed, not transparent, and noncollegial management style has created distrust, suspicion and turmoil among the five now passing commissioners,” the report says.
Robert Kenny, a speaker for Martin, said the committee “did not find or conclude that there were some violations of rules, laws or procedures.”
Martin is widely expected to leave the commission after the White House changes hands.
His legacy at the FCC will be “a blueprint of what not to do,” before-mentioned Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., who chairs the House Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
“The tools and materials suggest that, in new years, the FCC has operated in a dysfunctional manner and commission business has suffered as a result,” said Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., who will relinquish the reins of the panel to California Democrat Henry Waxman next year.
But the top Republican on the committee, Joe Barton of Texas, greeted the report’sitting findings with skepticism.
“A congressional investigation has established that the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission doesn’t play for one’s advantage with others,” aforesaid Larry Neal, who serves as deputy Republican staff director conducive to the committee under Barton.
“The examination was supposed to pen down more weightier matters. Evidently that didn’face to face pan out.”
Original text: {news-link}
