FCC's Baker Heads for Job at Comcast

Based on this consumers can anticipate a good screwing on the upcoming AT&T, T - Mobil merger. We should have a friendly contest here to see which current FCC official gets the AT&T job.

Based on this consumers can anticipate a good screwing on the upcoming AT&T, T - Mobil merger.

The shills on here like elray, openbox, and TK have no real effect on people's opinions. It's not like their "logic" ever makes sense. It's more an atmosphere of derision and emotional manipulation that confuses the less educated and easily scared.

this once again proves that every politician can easily be bought. Why we haven't risen up from this madness and burned DC to the ground so we can start over is beyond me.

She's not a politician, but a political appointee. A bit of a difference. And ironically, appointed by the current Democratic president. Apparantly, he thought a mix of dems and repubs on the FCC to be considered balance.

"I am Jack's complete lack of surprise."

Your first link clearly explains how she can be hired by Comcast even if the cooling off period applies.

From clear at the bottom:

quote:

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The "cooling off" period applies only to making lobbying contacts with the restricted government agencies or personnel. As a result, a former public official or former senior government employee may research relevant issues, develop lobbying strategies and supervise those lobbying their former agencies or personnel immediately upon leaving office, so long as the former official does not make the actual lobbying contact during the cooling off period. The former official simply directs other lobbyists to make the contact.

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Thanks for that further enlightening research on the law. All these laws come with loopholes I guess.

Under the ethics pledge enacted by President Obama, Baker cannot lobby the FCC for two years, but she can lobby Congress.

Baker won’t be able to directly lobby the FCC, but she holds much influence and knowledge that can help Comcast in its regulatory agenda.

She says:
“Not once in my entire tenure as a Commissioner had anyone at Comcast or NBC Universal approached me about potential employment,” Baker said in a statement. She said the “opportunity became available in mid-April,” at which point she sought advice from the FCC’s general counsel and recused herself from any issues involving Comcast and NBC Universal.

UPDATE: Comcast and Baker's office each put out releases about the development. Baker's title will be senior vice president of government affairs for NBC Universal. She will report to McSlarrow.

"I’ve been privileged to serve in government for the past seven years under President Obama at the FCC and President Bush at NTIA, I’m excited to embark on a new phase of my career with Comcast and NBCUniversal,” Baker said in a statement. 

Baker will report to Kyle McSlarrow, president of Comcast/NBCUniversal for Washington, D.C., who recently joined the company after heading up the National Cable & Telecommunications Association. She will also work with Rick Cotton, NBCU's executive vice president and general counsel, who sets strategic policy direction for the TV network.

While most everyone in Washington shot off the usual "best wishes" statements about Baker, liberal public interest group Free Press took the opportunity to blast her for leaving the FCC just four months after approving Comcast's purchase of NBCU.

"This is just the latest, though perhaps most blatant, example of a so-called public servant cashing in at a company she is supposed to be regulating," said Craig Aaron, CEO of Free Press. "As recently as March, Commissioner Baker gave a speech lamenting that review of the Comcast-NBCU deal 'took too long.' What we didn't know then was that she was in such a rush to start picking out the drapes in her new corner office."

There ought to be a low to say it needs a minimum of 2 years!

Not only is this unethical, it's probably illegal. In exchange for providing favorable actions, he is given a job by the company the performed the actions for.