Official: Genachowski nominated FCC chairman

The Federal Communications Commission confirmed minutes ago that Julius Genachowski, the venture capital firm director who served as counsel to former FCC chairman Reed Hundt, has officially been nominated by President Obama to serve as FCC Chairman. This after an unusually long vetting process that many suspect may have been slowed down not by Genachowski himself -- whose credentials have yet to be questioned -- but by the President's recent track record of nominating candidates with clean tax histories.

"I can think of no one better than Julius Genachowski," reads a statement from the President this afternoon, "to serve as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. He will bring to the job diverse and unparalleled experience in communications and technology, with two decades of accomplishment in the private sector and public service. I know him as the son of immigrants who carries a deep appreciation for this country and the American dream; and as the proud father of three children working with his wife Rachel to be responsible parents in this digital age."

Genachowski is a close personal friend of the President, and a former Harvard Law School classmate. The President may have done his friend a favor by nominating him to the FCC post after the DTV transition delay. Though Genachowski was reportedly in favor of the delay from February 17 to June 12, the job of redirecting the transition education juggernaut -- and starting to clean up the mess thereafter -- fell to Interim Chairman Michael Copps.

The new chairman's likely nomination was not only known in January but quite probably determined weeks earlier.

Now, pending approval by Congress, the incoming chairman can concentrate on issues such as whether "net neutrality" can be enforced by the FCC if it should be legislated by Congress. He's been pegged as a "net neutrality supporter" by advocates. But as it turns out, if a person usually tipped to be a net neutrality supporter has his way, the issue may not even reach Genachowski's desk.

Last week, Congress Daily cited House Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Rick Boucher (D - VA) -- himself a staunch supporter -- as also being against legislating the issue, telling reporters, "I do not want to see us jump into a legislative mode on network neutrality." Advocates immediately jumped on the congressman as having done a one-eighty on the issue. The Commerce Committee has legislative oversight over the FCC.

This led Public Knowledge President Gigi Sohn to split hairs in her response, supporting Rep. Boucher with one hand but pushing him back toward the light of day with the other: "Chairman Boucher has been, and remains, a steadfast champion for an open and non-discriminatory Internet. This is a matter of approach than a difference of philosophy," Sohn responded. "Over the past couple of years, Chairman Boucher has suggested that parties try to negotiate an agreement. We and others share that desire and are engaged in a dialog with carriers, but at the end of the day, Congress will need to protect consumer choice by making it clear the Internet must remain open. We are confident that Chairman Boucher will lead that charge."

Sohn was among the multitude expressing support for Genachowski's nomination today.